On February 17, Ambassador Fan Yong attended the "I Love the Year of the Horse – 2026 Spring Festival Celebration" held at Legae English Medium School.  Mrs. Naseema Karodia, Headteacher of Legae English Medium School; Prof. Pu Durong, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at UB and Prof. Thapelo Otlogetswe, Local Director of the Confucius Institute at UB attended.

Ambassador Fan expressed his delight at celebrating China’s most important traditional festival, the Spring Festival, together with Botswana teachers and students on the first day of the Lunar New Year. He noted that 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, and is also designated as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. China looks forward to working with Botswana to further deepen mutual learning and exchange between civilizations, and to promote closer bonds and greater mutual understanding between the people of China and Africa.

Principal Karodia thanked the Chinese Embassy for the long-standing support and assistance. She extended festive greetings to Ambassador Fan and expressed her wishes to participate in more China-Africa cultural exchange activities in future so that students can become envoys of friendship between China and Africa.

Teachers and students from the Confucius Institute of UB and Legae English Medium School performed Chinese songs and dances and experienced traditional Chinese cultural activities such as hulusi.