The UN Chinese Language Day is observed every year on or around April 20, when the contribution of Chinese literature, poetry, and language to world culture is highlighted. The followings are a selection of photos of countries marking the day this year.

Kenyan students show the words "Chinese Day" written in Chinese with a brush during an event celebrating the upcoming UN Chinese Language Day at the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, in Nairobi, Kenya, April 18, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

 

A Kenyan student writes Chinese calligraphy during an event celebrating the upcoming UN Chinese Language Day at the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, in Nairobi, Kenya, April 18, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
 

Students pose for a selfie with their Chinese calligraphy works during an event celebrating the upcoming UN Chinese Language Day at the Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 19, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
 

Students write Chinese calligraphy during an event celebrating the upcoming UN Chinese Language Day at the Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 19, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Performers demonstrate hanfu, a type of traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group in China, during an event celebrating the upcoming UN Chinese Language Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on April 19, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
 

A man performs martial arts during an event celebrating the upcoming UN Chinese Language Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on April 19, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
 

This combo photo shows Asmaa Mostafa Ibrahim(left upper), a Chinese culture enthusiast from Egypt, demonstrating the Chinese character "Xin", meaning "heart", written with a brush in Cairo, Egypt, April 13, 2023, and Alfonso Fraile (right upper), an ex-football player from Spain, demonstrating an oracle bone script character "Men", meaning "gate", in Madrid, Spain, April 17, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
 

A Zambian student writes Chinese calligraphy during an event marking the 14th UN Chinese Language Day in Lusaka, Zambia, on April 20, 2023.  [Photo/Xinhua]
 

A student tries to grab peanuts with Chinese chopsticks during an event celebrating UN Chinese Language Day at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Cotonou, Benin, on April 20, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
 

An artist performs Chinese calligraphy writing at an exhibition to mark UN Chinese Language Day in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 20, 2023. The United Nations (UN) Office at Geneva hosted an exhibition of paintings of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), part of the Great Collection of Chinese Paintings, on Thursday to mark the annually observed UN Chinese Language Day. [Photo/Xinhua]