UNLV prepares to open Sands Chinese cultural center
UNLV Officer in Charge Chris Heavey said the university is launching new programs for students exploring the country's philosophy and history.
'We've always believed that the connection between Las Vegas specifically and China have been extremely strong from the tourism industry but also the convention business,' Heavey explained. 'We've actually had our first language course launch about a week ago where people can come in to learn conversational Mandarin for free at the language and cultural institute.'
Students can also have the opportunity to study abroad, immersing themselves in China's contemporary society while enhancing their academic and professional skills. UNLV's faculty staff spent the last two summers traveling to China establishing relationships.
'One of the lead partners in the Sands Chinese Language and Cultural Institute will be Sun Yat-sen University which is located in Guangzhou China. It's a major research university,' Heavey added.
Jenny Koo, president of Nevada's Chinese Association, said this center will help showcase China's rich heritage.
'I also think it's a good time to share more about our culture like most people know about Chinese dance or instruments and we can do more cultural stuff like more in-depth like this tea bowl is 800 to 1,000 years ago like when you see it maybe you didn't know about that,' Koo said.
With a growing Chinese population in the Las Vegas valley, Koo said she's proud to see so many people sparking interest in Chinese culture.
'We can do more economics and business so I think that's good for us in the community to see everything that is growing to be a bridge for the tourists and the community,' Koo said.
The institute will be located at UNLV's Maryland administrative building on Maryland Parkway and Flamingo Road. The Las Vegas Sands donated $15 million to help sponsor these classes and events.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
18 minutes ago
- CNBC
China unveils childcare subsidies in push to boost fertility
China rolled out on Monday an annual childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan (about $500) until age three, as authorities look to spur a flagging birth rate with fewer young people choosing to have children. The high cost of childcare and education, as well as job uncertainty and a slowing economy, are among the concerns that have discouraged many young Chinese from getting married and starting a family. Subsidies will start from this year, with partial subsidies for children under three born prior to 2025, in a policy expected to benefit more than 20 million families of toddlers and infants, the official Xinhua news agency said. The plan is an "important national livelihood policy," and direct cash subsidies would help "reduce the cost of family childbirth and parenting", the National Health Commission said. Demographers and economists said while the move was positive, the amount was likely to small to incentivise people to have children. China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with experts warning of a worsening downturn, after decades of falling birth rates following a one-child policy adopted from 1980 to 2015, coupled with rapid urbanisation. In the past two years, provinces nationwide have started handing out childcare subsidies in amounts that vary considerably, from 1,000 yuan a child to up to 100,000 yuan, including housing subsidies. The central government will fund the new national policy instead of local authorities, Xinhua said. Authorities are expected to announce more details on Wednesday. Zichun Huang, China Economist at Capital Economics, said the sums involved were too small to have a near-term impact on the birth rate or consumption. "But the policy does mark a major milestone in terms of direct handouts to households and could lay the groundwork for more fiscal transfers in future." Citi Research estimates a total lump-sum payout of 117 billion yuan in the second half of this year through the plan, saying the scheme is more meaningful as a consumption policy than as a population policy. "As a population policy, it remains to be seen whether the national program can move the needle on fertility rate," the research house said in a note. Authorities in China unfurled a series of "fertility-friendly" measures in 2024 to tackle the coming decade's challenge of the entry into retirement of roughly 300 million people, equivalent to almost the entire U.S. population. A nationwide scheme may offer some coordination and signal greater central commitment, said demographer Emma Zang, a professor at Yale University, but called for greater efforts. "Without sustained structural investment in areas like affordable childcare, parental leave, and job protections for women, the effect on fertility is likely to remain minimal," she added.
Business Wire
19 minutes ago
- Business Wire
'Blossoming Hearts • Intoxicated Ink' - Tam Sing Chuk and Chak Meihing Art Exhibition Grandly Opens in Shenzhen
SHENZHEN, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On July 17, the 'Blossoming Hearts • Intoxicated Ink' Tam Sing Chuk and Chak Meihing Art Exhibition opened at Heungkong Art Museum in Qianhai, Shenzhen. This exhibition marks a milestone as it is the inaugural event showcasing Heungkong Art Museum's emergence as a cultural landmark and a cross-disciplinary cultural space in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and even across the nation. The core significance of this art exhibition lies in its vivid interpretation of the three fundamental pillars that establish Heungkong Art Museum as a sustainable cultural landmark, as well as its pioneering role in shaping a new cultural ecosystem: a platform for disseminating the social value of professional artists, a cultural salon for entrepreneurs, and a closed loop for art philanthropy and cultural and creative values. Mladen Ivanić, former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, believes that this joint art exhibition represents not only a new beginning in intercultural dialogue but also an innovative practice of cross-disciplinary integration. As the curator of Heungkong Art Museum, Chak Meihing is the core driving force behind this cultural innovation, leveraging her entrepreneurial foresight, artistic sensibility, and philanthropic commitment. The three-pronged model she pioneered—combining a platform for professional artists, a cultural salon for the business community, and a closed loop for philanthropic, cultural and creative values. This exhibition meticulously showcases 70 authentic works by Tam Sing Chuk, along with nearly 50 representative paintings by Chak Meihing herself. The exhibition is not merely a joint display by two artists but also a groundbreaking endeavor by Heungkong Art Museum to forge a new cultural ecosystem. As an artist, Chak Meihing's artistic accomplishments have garnered widespread acclaim within the art circle. Lu Yushun, former President of China National Academy of Painting, commented that her artistic endeavors serve as a vivid testament to the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese culture. Xu Qinsong, a consultant to China Artists Association, noted that Chak's works boldly break free from traditional constraints in composition, while her use of color combines vibrancy with depth. Concurrently with the art exhibition, the "Goodness and Beauty Collection" online charity store launched, selling Chak Meihing's painting-derived cultural products with all proceeds supporting rural children projects.
Epoch Times
33 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
US and China Restart Trade Talks; Bessent: China Will Honor Deal If Trump Is President
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is leading round three of U.S.-China trade talks in the Swedish capital. When asked if he trusts China, he says he trusts President Donald Trump. Just before U.S.-China trade talks kick off, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick weighs in on TikTok. He says Trump likes the Chinese-owned social media...
