Professor Daisy Wu Leads Panel Discussion at United Nations Headquarters
Zhongbei (Daisy) Wu, Clinical Associate Professor of Music and Language at Alfred University, recently delivered a lecture and led a panel discussion at United Nations Headquarters, in New York City. Wu’s lecture, “Music of Love and Words of Harmony,” marked the 15th UN Chinese Language Day, held April 18.
Wu’s lecture described how singing songs aids in language acquisition, and her panel, “Chinese: The Language That Builds Bridges,” delved into the intersection of music and language learning. Wu was joined by renowned Chinese singer Zhou Shen, UN staff interpreter Ji Chen, and composer Luo Wei, and they explored together the role of music in promoting language learning and its potential contribution to fostering productive international relations.
The UN’s Chinese Language Day was established by the UN Department of Public Information in 2010, seeking "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six of its official working languages throughout the organization.” April 20 was chosen as the date to pay tribute to Cangjie, a mythical figure in China who is presumed to have invented Chinese characters about 5,000 years ago.
The UN official Web TV broadcasted the event live to the world.
At UN Headquarters, Wu showcased Alfred University's guzheng music classes and Chinese language courses, highlighting her students' academic achievements. Her involvement in the prestigious event resonated with her Alfred University students, who crafted congratulatory cards for Wu and the UN event.
"I was deeply honored to participate in this event," Wu said afterwards. "Seeing our Alfred University class and my students featured on the big screen in Conference Room 2 of the UN Headquarters filled me with immense pride. It was a truly gratifying moment for me as an educator.”