Ningbo, 5 September 2025 – The semi-finals of the recitation category in the 2025 “Golden Age Cup” National Senior Arts Performance were held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. This event was jointly organised by the Seniors University of China (SUC) and China Education Television (CETV), hosted by the Ningbo Branch of SUC.
Attendees included XU Yan, Member of the Standing Committee of the Ningbo Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Ningbo; XU Mingjun, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Open University of China (OUC) and SUC Committee; ZHOU Fei, Deputy Director of CETV; YAN Shien, Deputy Head of the Organisation Department of the Ningbo Municipal Committee and Director of the Ningbo Bureau of Veterans; and JIANG Shiyong, Secretary of the CPC Ningbo Open University Committee.
XU Yan stated that hosting the national recitation semi-finals in Ningbo represents SUC’s full recognition of the efforts of Ningbo city in senior education. It also serves as strong encouragement and motivation for Ningbo to further advance senior education, enrich the cultural lives of the elderly, and continue building an age-friendly city. The Ningbo Branch will continue striving to provide more platforms for senior citizens to learn, exchange, and showcase their talents.
XU Mingjun emphasised that advancing the high-quality development of senior education is a crucial task in actively responding to the national strategy on population ageing, as well as a strong support for building a robust educational system. Since its establishment, SUC has fully leveraged its institutional and systemic advantages, continuously improved its strategic planning and layout, and built an educational service network covering both urban and rural areas across the country. Moving forward, the SUC will collaborate with the Ningbo Branch and other branches nationwide to contribute to the establishment of an accessible and inclusive lifelong education system and support the development of a strong educational nation.
ZHOU Fei pointed out that the “Golden Age Cup” National Senior Arts Performance is an important initiative by SUC and CETV to put the concept of lifelong education into practice. The recitation category, in particular, connects the strength of the written word with the warmth of human experience. CETV will not only cover the semi-finals through television and new media platforms but also delve into the moving stories behind the performances. This aims to showcase the spirit of seniors who "learn, enjoy, and contribute in their later years," allowing more people to witness their vitality and accomplishments.
The recitation category in the 2025 “Golden Age Cup” National Senior Arts Performance received over 500 entries in the recitation category. On the day of the event, more than 300 participants from 49 selected programs gathered in Ningbo.
With heartfelt passion and professional delivery, they painted the beauty of life through their voices, conveyed a profound love for living via their performances, and expressed the spirit of the middle-aged and senior community with poetic grace, fully showcasing their cultural depth and artistic charm.
The 2025 “Golden Age Cup” National Senior Arts Performance is funded by the Beijing OUC Education Foundation and strongly supported by Taikang Life Insurance Co., Ltd., Beijing Taikang Yicai Public Welfare Foundation, Bell & Horn Education and Technology Beijing Co., Ltd., China Education Network Television and other partners.
By WANG Ruyan, GUO Jingchao, OUC