From Classroom to Lakeside Stage: MLC International Students Shine at Right Bank "520" Concert

For two international students from the Global Cultures and Languages Hub, 20 May 2026 was the day their Chinese classroom made it onto a grand stage.

That evening, the “Right Bank Sings Through the Seasons · 520 Love Fills Jinji Lake” special Right Bank Concert, hosted by the Suzhou Industrial Park Public Cultural Center, kicked off warmly by the shores of Jinji Lake. Francesca Lucidi (Lü Ruibing) from Italy and Cecilia Liang (Liang Zeni) from Indonesia, both from our Global Cultures and Languages Hub, successfully took the stage and delivered heartfelt renditions of classic Chinese pop songs.

Before the performance, the organizer arranged a cultural and artistic tour, leading international students to the China-France Love Wall, where they looked for the phrase "I love you" written in their native languages. Afterwards, the students visited the "Flying" sculpture and the "Eye of Suzhou" Ferris wheel. Through this walking study tour, the international students were able to immerse themselves in Suzhou and experience the city's unique charm.

As night fell, the “Right Bank Sings Through the Seasons · 520 Love Fills Jinji Lake” special concert officially began. A light drizzle drifted over Jinji Lake, adding an extra touch of poetry to the evening. Accomplished singers poured their hearts into every note, weaving together Chinese and international classics, tender promises alongside vibrant, fiery passion. Amid this sweetly romantic atmosphere, Cecilia Liang’s rendition of Aiya Aiya and Lü Ruibing’s Libie Kaichu Hua became a unique highlight of the night. With the gentle lakeside breeze and a sea of twinkling lights from the audience, the two young singers from distant lands touched everyone present with their clear, heartfelt voices singing in Chinese.

It is worth mentioning that the concert took place during the 32nd APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting in Suzhou, adding an international dimension to the city. The appearance of XJLTU international students from our Hub on stage became a sparkling highlight of this picture: singing in Chinese, they gave a vivid echo of language learning's journey from the classroom to the stage, and from textbooks to real-world cultural participation.

From the afternoon's delight of finding their mother tongues on the Wall of Love, to the evening's confidence of singing in Chinese on stage, the Chinese Division of the Modern Languages Center has always encouraged learners to step beyond textbooks and into authentic contexts, transforming linguistic competence into confident cultural expression. What echoed across Jinji Lake that night was not only music, but also a city's embrace of multiculturalism.

We look forward to seeing more students write their own stories in Chinese on the streets, at the corners, and on and off the stages of Suzhou.