On the afternoon of May 24, The signing ceremony of Cooperation Memorandum between the United Nations and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and the lecture of Mohammed Shaaban, the under-secretary-general of UN, was held in the Library Lecture Hall in North Campus. President Zhong Weihe made a speech at the meeting. Vice president Fang Fanquan presided over the ceremony. GDUFS has been the first university in the South China and the third in China that signs a memorandum of cooperation with the United Nations.
Zhong Weihe extended warm welcome to the visit of Shaaban on behalf of the staff and students of GDUFS. He stressed that the university has 14 majors of foreign languages currently, including the six UN official languages (English, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish and Arabic), which creats a good conditions for the cultivation of senior translators. The cooperation memorandum is an important milestone in the process of internationalization for the university and indicates that the interpreting and translation level of GDUFS has been recognized by the UN. It will be the new starting point for cultivating talent and GDUFS will continue to deepen cooperation with the United Nations.
Shaaban also delivered a speech at the meeting. He pointed out that the GDUFS is the first university in South China and the third in China to signed a cooperation memorandum with the United Nations. This cooperation project will provide the students opportunities to practise in the United Nations. Besides, the senior translators of the United Nations will come to GDUFS and provide training, which will promote a close cooperation. Meanwhile, he hoped that more students could come to the UN language institutions for the work of translation and file consolidation.
On behalf of the UN, Shaaban signed the cooperation memorandum with Zhong Weihe, and exchanged presents. After that, he began his speech in the applause.
WhatUNneeds-- talents with excellentlanguage skills
Shaaban pointed out that the language institutes of UN were multi-lingual and provided professional jobs in seven languages, including translator, interpreter, editor, verbatim reporter, term expert and digital assistant, digital editor and proofreading member, and text processor.
He elaborated on the work content of each position and stressed that UN was in urgent need of high-quality language talents because of the retirement of old staff and the quality decline of new employees.
Competitive language examinations--equal opportunities
On how to enter the UN language institutions, Shaaban mentioned the competitive language examinations held every two years by the UN, providing an access for those willing to be engaged in the professional language work for the UN. As there are many members in UN, the language workers are in large demand. However, the competitive language examinations are rarely known for the lack of information.
Shaaban believed that the lack of linguistic wokers would affect the normal operation and development of all countries, the entire United Nations system and even the major international organizations. He encouraged the qualified language talents to enter the language working system of UN through examinations. He supported the freelance language workers to work for the United Nations.
Universitycooperationprogram --mutually beneficial cooperation
What is the purpose of the cooperation with university program? Shaaban pointed out that, first was to deepen the communication opportunities for language workers. Secondly, it is to help the candidates for UN to better prepared for the competitive examinations. Furthermore, it aims to explore cooperation modes of international organizations and universities.
On the significance of signing the memorandum, Shaaban thought it could make a detailed description of the future cooperation mode between university and the UN. Besides, students and information exchanges will be conducted among the 19 universities that have signed cooperation agreements with UN, which will provide a better learning and developing environment for language personnel.
The Shaaban show translation skills.
Arabic student Zhang Sichen, who has won the advanced individual in the Guangzhou Asian Games and Asian Paralympic Games, asked questions in fluent Arabic. Then Shaaban performed as a translator from Arabic to English and his translation skills gave the audience a great impression.
Fang Fanquan gave a summary speech after the questions. He believed that the lecture of Dr. Shaaban was well-organized and abundent, which made the audience have a profound understanding of the translation work in the UN.
Subsequently, the Shaaban went to Yunshan Station with leaders of GDUFS and received an interview by reporters from News Network of GDUFS. He fully affirmed the campus environment, academic building, and its status in Chinese foreign language teaching system. Talking on what was the most impressing in GDUFS, Shaaban referred to the students. He praised the students with the word "enthusiastic".
Shaaban and president Zhong Weihe accepted an exclusive interview by Chief Correspondent Mei Zhiqing of the Nanfang Daily, on the reasons for cooperation, influence of the cooperation, the international education of GDUFS and so on.
