On December 5, the 2025 "Beijing Night" event was successfully held at Capital Normal University. Hosted by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education and undertaken by Capital Normal University, the event gathered international student representatives from our university, together with nearly 400 Chinese and international students and alumni from 36 other universities in Beijing, for a wonderful cultural carnival.

Our international students Jishan, Yang Lingling, Rosh, and Mengjielin, representing the international "Little Seashells" of USTB, took the stage for the situational recitation Growth Inspired by the Reply. They shared their heartfelt reflections since writing to President Xi Jinping and receiving his reply — their journey of growing through the encouragement and taking responsibility with actions.

The international "Little Seashells" also performed the song Autumn Rhythm of the Central Axis, vividly showing international students’ understanding and passion for fine traditional Chinese culture. Besides, our Vietnamese student Mai Hemei received an award on stage as a representative of recipients of the Beijing Government Scholarship for International Students in China.

As a Pakistani student, Jishan cherishes this performance opportunity deeply. “President Xi Jinping’s reply to Pakistani students like us has always been a great inspiration to me. I keep encouraging myself in line with the spirit of this important reply, to explore China more deeply and learn about the authentic China. Taking part in Growth Inspired by the Reply at Beijing Night will be an unforgettable memory of my studies in China.”

“We hope to convey our respect and love for diverse cultures through this show,” said Yang Lingling, an international student from Ukraine, with a smile. “At the University of Science and Technology Beijing, I often get chances for cross-cultural exchanges. It fills me with pride to represent our university on the stage of Beijing Night.”

To deliver a polished performance, these international students devoted nearly one month to rehearsals after finishing their coursework. The International Student Center arranged rehearsal venues and invited art instructors to help refine every detail. Mengjielin, who comes from El Salvador, shared her feeling: “Every rehearsal is like a small international cultural salon. We learn each other’s languages and share our stories. This experience is even more precious than the performance itself.”

The participation of USTB students in the “Beijing Night” performance is a microcosm of the university’s continuous efforts to advance internationalization on campus and enrich the cultural lives of international students. In recent years, USTB has offered multicultural workshops, organized traditional Chinese cultural experiences, and hosted events such as the International Culture Festival, creating numerous platforms for interaction and integration between Chinese and international students.