NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 14 – Kenyan youth and students were on Wednesday treated to a unique glimpse into the life of an astronaut in space during an online connectivity ceremony that linked them with Chinese taikonauts.
Participating students from Mary Hill High School, State House Girls, and the University of Nairobi had the rare opportunity to witness a live online stream featuring Chinese taikonauts who candidly answered questions about life in space while orbiting over 400 kilometers above Earth.
The event, titled ‘Shared Space: China-African Dreams,’ was broadcast via Zoom and featured Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station. They showcased the top 10 artworks created by African youth from across the continent as part of the “My Dream” painting competition. This initiative is designed to foster people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in space exploration between China and Africa.
Zhang Zhizhong, the Minister Counsellor of the Chinese embassy and Deputy Chief of Mission, emphasized the importance of the painting competition, stating,
“We have a shared future, a shared space, shared dreams, and that’s the significance of the painting competition,” he said, adding “We dream of a day when African youths will be standing side by side with astronauts in space as we explore unknown adventures together.”
Caren Chebet, a Chinese language student at the University of Nairobi, expressed her aspiration to explore beyond the visible sky as an African astronaut, describing it as a daring and inspiring goal.
Sharlyne Kairu, a student from Maryhill Girls’ School, noted, “I’ve learned that China has a big plan to really empower and inspire African youths and teens to dream big.”
Agnes Kimani, a biology and chemistry teacher from Maryhill, stressed the need to incorporate China’s technological advancements into the Kenyan curriculum, acknowledging China’s unparalleled progress in technology.
This virtual event represents the latest in a series of annual interactions between Chinese astronauts and African youths. Last year in September, the “Tiangong Dialogue-Talk with Taikonauts” was held in eight African countries, providing teenagers with the opportunity to engage in video conversations with Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station.
The ceremony took place at the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, located on Arboretum Road.
On May 30th, 2023, China’s Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft was successfully launched, with three Chinese astronauts embarking on a half-year mission at the Tiangong Space Station. Their task included showcasing the 10 First-Prize works from the “My Dream” Painting Competition, while a returning Taikonaut in Beijing engaged with African youths via video connection to answer their questions about life in space.
