In brief
On Nov. 3, 2026, Maputo welcomed over 100 short‑video submissions celebrating China‑Mozambique friendship. The Confucius Institute and the Chinese Embassy hosted an award ceremony where Chinese Ambassador Zheng Xuan and Eduardo Mondlane University rector Manuel Guilherme Junior praised the creative showcase. Ten first‑prize winners were invited to China for a cultural exchange in Beijing, Zhejiang and Shanghai.
On Monday, Nov. 3, 2026, the heart of Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, became the stage for a unique cultural exchange. An award ceremony for the short‑video competition titled United Hearts, Shared Dreams: China and Mozambique attracted more than 100 entries reflecting the deepening cooperation between the two nations. The event was organized by the Confucius Institute at Eduardo Mondlane University, with backing from the Chinese Embassy, and marked a milestone in the 2026 China‑Africa Year of People‑to‑People Exchanges.
Participants ranged from students and journalists to businesspeople and local employees of Chinese enterprises, each using their cameras to bridge the two cultures. The videos showcased landmark projects such as the Maputo‑Katembe Bridge, the Mozambique‑China Cultural Center, and personal stories about learning Chinese and everyday interactions between Mozambican and Chinese communities.
Chinese Ambassador to Mozambique Zheng Xuan opened the ceremony, congratulating the winners and acknowledging the videos’s role in strengthening people‑to‑people ties. Each video, each moment, represents an encounter between civilizations and a communication between hearts, he said, adding that the participants could become ambassadors of China‑Mozambique friendship. “I hope you will keep sharing stories that show a real and multidimensional China,” he urged the crowd.
Eduardo Mondlane University rector Manuel Guilherme Junior joined the applause, highlighting how the young creators “fought against a lack of understanding” through their work. With your creativity, you have transformed the official friendship between governments into a friendship between peoples, he told the audience, underscoring the importance of youth in sustaining bilateral ties.
For the competition’s top prizes, ten videos were chosen to travel to China for an exchange visit. The winners will tour Beijing, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, experiencing the country’s development and cultural heritage firsthand. Former delegate Venheque Hassane Ali recounted his own journey, noting visits to the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Yiwu International Trade Market in Zhejiang and the Bund in Shanghai, hoping the experience would deepen their appreciation of China’s growth.
Officials reported that the event proved a success, with the remarkable number of submissions and the enthusiasm of the participants. The awards not only celebrated artistic talent but also strengthened the people‑to‑people foundations that anchor the long‑standing diplomatic ties between China and Mozambique.
