The opening ceremony of the Confucius Institute of the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University (KSPU) in Siberia, Russia, was held on July 1 -- and dignitaries attending the event included Yun Guohong, president of Inner Mongolia Normal University and Valery Kovalevski, president of the KSPU. 

It was the first Confucius Institute opened in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. 

In his speech at the ceremony, Kovalevski pledged to lead the KSPU to make efforts to promote cultural exchanges and regional communications between Russia and China.

“We will make sure the Confucius Institute in our university can be brought to a higher level,”  Kovalevski said. 

The two universities have long been partners in the development of higher education, according to IMNU officials.  

Yun signed a cooperation agreement, renewing an earlier one signed in 2007. He urged the two sides to cooperate in more areas in the future. 

The Confucius Institute is a public educational organization under the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, began in 2004. It was established to promote the Chinese language and culture in the world, support international Chinese teaching and facilitate cultural exchanges. 

Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University, founded in 1932, is a public higher education institution located in the city of Krasnoyarsk. 

Officially recognized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, KSPU is a medium-sized university with around 6,000-7,000 students. It offers officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor’s degrees in several fields of study. 

Yun Guohong (L), president of Inner Mongolia Normal University and Valery Kovalevski (R), president of Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University, host the opening ceremony of the Confucius Institute of the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University on July 1. [Photo/IMNU]

Valery Kovalevski, president of the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the Confucius Institute of Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University on July 1. [Photo/IMNU]