Recently, the awards ceremony for the Third China-Iraq Short Video Competition was concurrently held online in Beijing, Dubai, and Baghdad. "I Learn Chinese Language in Iraq", a collaborative work by Hu Zhiwei, a senior international Chinese language teacher from Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (ZZULI), and students from Salahaddin University in Iraq, stood out for its sincere emotional expressions and vivid narrative techniques, winning the Grand Prize of the competition. This news has been reported by multiple authoritative media, including People's Daily, China Daily, and the official WeChat account of the Chinese Embassy in Iraq, attracting widespread attention.

This year's competition coincided with the tenth anniversary of the strategic partnership between China and Iraq. Under the core theme "Light of Two Rivers: Seeing Each Other, Illuminating the World", it was organized by Chinese-funded enterprises in Iraq in collaboration with Iraqi think tanks, mediaoutlets, and universities, with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Middle East as the initiator. The event received vigorous support from multiple sides, including the Chinese Embassy in Iraq, the Iraqi Embassy in China, the Bureau of Publicity of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), and CNPC. It enjoys high prestige and exerts far-reaching influence.

As a Chinese language teacher dispatched by ZZULI to Salahaddin University, Hu Zhiwei has been working there for six consecutive years. During his tenure, he has consistently upheld the educational philosophy of "taking language as a bridge and culture as a medium", systematically imparting knowledge about Chinese language to Iraqi students while solidifying their linguistic foundation. Through diverse activities such as Chinese poetry appreciation, sharing of traditional customs, and cultural storytelling, he has enabledstudents to gain in-depth insights into the profound heritage and captivating charm of Chinese culture. He nurtures every student's thirst for knowledge with heartfelt care and treats others with sincerity, staying true to his original aspiration of education. Moreover, he has forged a deep friendship with Iraqi teachers and students that transcends mountains and seas, truly becoming an ambassador of cultural exchanges between China and Iraq. For the above reasons, Saman Omar, Dean of the College of Languages at Salahaddin University, highly commended that Hu Zhiwei's teaching experience and award-winning work vividly exemplify how the Chinese language builds a bridge of friendship between our two nations.

ZZULI has always attached great importance to international cultural exchanges, encouraged faculty members' participation in overseas volunteer teaching and international education cooperation programs, and devoted itself to establishing a robust platform for mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. Moving forward, ZZULI will continue to deepen international educational exchanges, build more diversified international exchange platforms, and steadfastly support more teachers in disseminating Chinese culture and engaging in education cooperationabroad. It seeks to contribute more to fostering exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations and deepening international education cooperation.