November 17,2013 marked the 68th International Students’ Day. On this day, a cross-cultural exchange was held in a Foreign Students’ Activities Room in Beijng Jiaotong University, with the theme being “A Poet Digging Soul with his Pen—A Poetry Reading Session of Seamus Heaney” in memory of the late poet Seamus Heaney (1939-2013). Heaney was a famous Irish poet who received the Noble Prize for Literature in 1995. Over 40 professors and students from BJU(Beijng Jiaotong University), BISU( Beijing International Studies University ), BFSU(Beijing Foreign Studies University) and BICT ( Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology ) participated in the session, among whom were some foreign students from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, South Korea, Indonesia, Sudan, Cameroon, Mexico and Columbia.
The session began with a piece of beautiful western music and a show of Chinese tea ceremony. Chen Dongfeng from BJU gave a detailed introduction to the unique history of Ireland, its cultural tradition, its current situation, and their influences on Heaney’s writing.
Professor Liu Yan from BISU provided an in-depth analysis of the artistic traits of Heaney’s poetry and shared her personal interaction with the late poet when she visited UCD the year before. She also read a poem of her own named “An Empty Chair”, paying tribute to Heaney. John Ó Liodain from Ireland, currently a teacher of the Irish language in BFSU, read “Mid-Term Break” emotionally, a poem by Heaney he learnt in high school.
In 1946, a World Students’ Convention was held and declared November 17th International Students’ Day. The aim is to strengthen the unity and friendship among international students and advocate peace, democracy and progress.
This reading session is in accordance with Heaney’s appeal that poetry is an art worth listening and reading. Fighting against war and violence, advocating peace and love is always the theme of Heaney’s poetry. On such a meaningful day, students from both home and abroad gathered together to commemorate Seamus Heaney as well as to strengthen transcultural communication.
