In celebration of the 110th anniversary of the Western Returned Scholars Association (WRSA), SCMU hosted a thematic concert on the evening of September 26th at the Optics Valley Concert Hall. The event was graced by prominent figures including Ning Yong, a Standing Committee member of the Hubei Provincial Party Committee and Head of the United Front Work Department; Zhang Baiqing, Vice-Chairman of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of Hubei WRSA; Li Tao, Deputy Head of the United Front Work Department of the Hubei Provincial Party Committee; Liu Lai, Executive Vice-President of Hubei WRSA; Bian Jing, Secretary of the Party Committee of SCMU; Li Jinlin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of SCMU; Bai Jiangyuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of SCMU, and Cai Qiong, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Head of the United Front Work Department. They were joined by representatives from various WRSA groups, overseas students, and personnel from provincial departments. The concert was co-hosted by Liu Lai and Zhou Hui from SCMU.

The Concert venue

Photo provided by United Front Work Department of the Party Committee

Organized by Hubei WRSA and co-hosted by SCMU’s School of Music and Dance, the event saw support from several notable universities including Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Huangzhong Normal University, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Jianghan University, Wuhan Conservatory of Music, and Hubei Second Normal University.

President Li Jinlin, in his welcoming speech, highlighted SCMU’s achievements and the ongoing efforts with overseas students. He emphasized the concert as a pivotal opportunity to unite overseas students and further develop WRSA at SCMU into a significant contributor to national and international initiatives.

The concert showcased a variety of performances from universities’ WRSA members, featuring choir, silk string quintet, baritone solo, and Morin khuur solo. This array of performances offered a unique musical experience to the audience, celebrating the rich cultural heritage and artistic talents within the WRSA community.

Since its inception in 1913, WRSA has been a beacon of patriotism, uniting overseas students in their shared goal of contributing to national progress and well-being. Over the past 110 years, WRSA has upheld this legacy, fostering a tradition of serving the nation through overseas study and making significant contributions to national independence, prosperity, and the happiness of the people.

Edited by Long Sheng,  Reviewed by Lei Changsheng