On Jul. 20th, the Singing Contest in Mandarin 2019 “Sing for Sino-Mauritian Friendship” was hosted at Caudan Art Center in Port Louis, Mauritius.
The contest was held in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by the Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, China Culture Center in Mauritius, Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, Mitterrand Conservatory, and Confucius Institute at the University of Mauritius.
Aged 5 to 70, over 150 people from different ethnic groups and walks of life participated in the contest, many of whom do not even speak Chinese or know any Chinese songs; but they signed up for the love of Chinese culture and support of Sino-Mauritian friendship. After two rounds of the contest, 10 participants of the junior group and 10 of the senior group entered the final stage.
After fierce competition of the finalists, Estella was eventually crowned champion of the senior group with I Love You, Snow beyond the Great Wall, and Shannon the champion of the junior group with The Moon Represents My Heart. The two winners were both granted the chance of having vocal training in China.
During the contest, some special guests joined the audience of hundreds: Marie Roland Alain Wong Yen Cheong, minister of social integration and economic empowerment of Mauritius; Sun Gongyi, Chinese ambassador to Mauritius; and Song Yanqun, Chinese cultural counsellor and director of China Culture Center in Mauritius, etc.
It was introduced that a concert of the finalists, featuring a Chinese chamber orchestra, will be held in Mauritius in late September to celebrate the 70th National Day of the PRC.