On the evening of December 28, NAU held the 2019 New Year Evening Gala—“An Ode to Spring”—at the sports center, which was attended by Chancellor Chen Ligen, Deputy Party Secretary Liu Yingjun, Vice President Yan Xianglin and Assistant President Feng Jiaxun, as well as faculty members from various colleges.
Chen Ligen gave an opening speech, in which he walked participants through NAU’s glorious accomplishments over the past four decades since China’s reform and opening-up and the university’s reopening, as well as NAU’s exciting results achieved in 2018. On behalf of NAU, he also extended gratitude and best wishes to all faculty members and students for the new year, encouraging all NAU people to work hard towards building a world-class university—by setting loftier and more ambitious goals and developing greater and broader visions.
The gala was composed of three chapters: the first chapter featured folk music, talent shows by retirees, a magic performance and songs to tell the stories of NAU people at the start of China’s reform and opening-up; the second chapter included western music, ballet and other dances to show NAU people’s commitment to and ownership in education and poverty alleviation; the third chapter was comprised of recitations, operas, songs and dances to eulogize the enterprising spirit of the Chinese as well as NAU people’s determination to create new glories.
Around the theme of “An Ode to Spring”, the gala celebrated the glorious accomplishments of both China and NAU over the past 40 years since the country’s reform and opening-up and NAU’s reopening. It took the audience on a retrospective journey demonstrating how NAU continuously grew stronger—in an enterprising and pioneering spirit—in tandem with the country in this great process.