On 27 April 2022, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang visited the Chetham's School of Music in Manchester. Accompanied by Tom Redmond and Nicola Smith, Joint Principles of the Chetham's School of Music, Ambassador Zheng and his delegation enjoyed the musical performance by the students at the school, toured the historic Chetham’s Library, and visited the desk and alcove where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels used to do research. Principal Redmond and Principal Smith introduced to Ambassador Zheng and his delegation the exchanges between the school and the Central Conservatory of Music and the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School in China, as well as the joint establishment of the first "Chinese Music Classroom" in the UK, saying that the school attaches importance to the exchange and cooperation with art institutions in China and is eagerly looking forward to more offline activities when the pandemic ends. Ambassador Zheng spoke highly of the Chetham's School of Music for the importance it attaches to exchanges with China, pointing out that music is a universal language and that exchanges and cooperation in arts education are an important part of China-UK relations. China supports the school in strengthening mutual learning with Chinese arts institutions and promoting common development. The Chinese Consul-General in Manchester Zheng Xiyuan, Counsellor Hua Mei, wife of Ambassador Zheng, and Counsellor Zhang Limin of the Chinese Embassy in the UK attended the above activities. ※ ※ ※ Founded in 1969 and renowned for its music education, the Chetham’s School of Music is the largest music school in the UK and the only music school in the North of England. In 2021, the school co-established the UK's first "Chinese Music Classroom" in conjunction with China’s Central Conservatory of Music Middle School. The Chetham’s Library was built in 1653, where Marx and Engels used to do research and worked on their revolutionary theory. The library still keeps the desk used by the two great men.
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