“Ningbo Week” in Nottingham

This May, Nottingham celebrated its unique link with Chinese sister city Ningbo by holding “Ningbo Week”. More than 50 Chinese businesses, educationalists, artists and performer visited Nottingham during the first week in May.

The highlight of the week included a spectacular, colourful performance on Nottingham’s Old Market Square featuring Chinese acrobats, drummers and dancers, martial arts demonstrations, Chinese opera and traditional music.

Moreover, a Memorandum of Understanding between the two cities, based on the well-known “Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change” was signed during the week. In this exciting new agreement, Nottingham committed to supporting Ningbo to develop strategies to progressively address the causes and the impacts of climate change, whilst Ningbo committed to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its operations.

Ningbo Week also saw a business-matching event at the Albert Hall in Nottingham, where Chinese businesses and Nottingham companies had the chance to meet, network and to explore opportunities for collaboration.

Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Regeneration, Councillor Alan Clark, said: "We are proud of the special relationship that Nottingham has with Ningbo – “Ningbo Week” was an excellent chance to further our strong cooperation with China, to bring Chinese culture to Nottingham's streets, and to develop new collaborative opportunities for the businesses, schools, colleges and people of Nottingham and Ningbo."

Chinese Ambassador Visited Nottingham

Due to Nottingham’s outstanding work in linking with China, Madam Fu Ying, the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, visited Nottingham on the 14th and 15th May. It was the Chinese Ambassador’s first visit to Nottingham.

During the two-day visit, Madam Fu Ying visited Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham, attended a welcome reception hosted by Nottingham City Council, and took part in the 3rd UK - China Business Plan Competition Awards Ceremony organised by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA).

Nottingham City Council welcomed Madam Fu Ying’s visit, and suggested that Nottingham and Chinese cities should establish even more successful economic cooperation in the future, using the great support available through the Chinese Embassy.

CSET Launch

The Centre for Sustainble Energy Technologies (CSET) was launched on the campus of University of Nottingham Ningbo, China (UNNC) on 23rd May this year. Supported by the NBDL Ningbo Office, Councillor Gul Nawaz Khan, the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and Councillor Alan Clark, witnessed the great moment.

With fast economic development and rapid changes in society’s expectations, China places growing stress on environmental resources and increasing interest has been generated in exploring new energy resources and raising public awareness. CSET is to lead the way in China in providing solutions to energy and environmental issues by running undergraduate and post-graduate programmes and by dedicating itself to sustainable energy research.

The proposal for a ‘Sustainble Housing Workshop’ was generated at the CSET launch. Supported by CSET and School of Built Enviornment, UoN, the workshop will be organised by NBDL to attract the attendance of property developers from Ningbo and Nottingham, to share experience in the field of construction of environmentally friendly houses, and to raise awareness of the energy issue in the property development sector. The project’s aim will be to encourage co-operation between developers in Nottingham and Ningbo.

Nottingham Forest Football Club Coaches in China

To promote next year’s Nottingham Forest Football Club China Tour, three Nottingham Forest Football Club coaches visited Ningbo in June. With support from NBDL, Ningbo Sports Bureau and Ningbo Education Bureau, the coaches delivered training sessions in 6 Ningbo primary/secondary schools, and their unique teaching style inspired both pupils and teachers.

One Year Old!

Established in June 2007, NBDL is now one year old! A grand business banquet was hosted by NBDL in Ningbo to celebrate the successful year and express our gratitude for all the support from our partners.

More than 90 guests from Ningbo government, education professionals, associations and business people attended the annual banquet. At the banquet, the NBDL Chief Representative reported her work in the past year, and toasted to an even more successful future!