Every Monday morning, students at the Rio Chinese International School gather on the school field to sing the national anthems of China and Brazil as well as the school song, watching as flags are raised.

Celine Yang Camargo, a seventh-grade student, said the school's cultural activities set it apart from other schools.

"Here I get to take part in Chinese cultural activities such as making mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival and preparing zongzi (sticky rice treats) for the Dragon Boat Festival. I find them very intriguing," Celine said.

Her favorite poem is Yong E (Ode to the Goose), she said, a classical Chinese piece by the Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Luo Binwang.

"It's fun learning about animals through poetry," Celine said.

Yuan Aiping, chief principal of the school, said: "Our school emphasizes both language and culture, bringing together teachers and students during traditional Chinese festivals. We aim to offer first-class Chinese education in Brazil, preparing students with strong intercultural skills."

In 2022, the city of Rio de Janeiro declared Sept 28, widely observed as Confucius' birthday, as Mandarin Day, recognizing the significance of the Chinese language.

The Rio Chinese International School, the first full-time Chinese school in Latin America, offers a standardized Chinese curriculum.

"The school is gaining more popularity. Even Brazilian federal deputies send their children to our school because of our cultural focus, long-term planning, and personalized teaching," said Yuan, who has over 40 years of experience as an educator.

"They believe that learning Chinese will make them more competitive, given China's importance as an economic partner," Yuan said.

Zheng Xiamao, the school's chairman, said: "As these students engage with Chinese culture, they contribute to the dialogue between our two countries, reinforcing the importance of cross-cultural communication in a globalized world."

Last year, Rio's public schools introduced Chinese-language programs. "Education is the key to transforming lives," said Renan Ferreirinha, the city's education secretary. "We've just inaugurated the first two public bilingual schools with Mandarin." Learning Chinese opens up opportunities, encouraging students to gain a better understanding of China, he said.

In visiting Beijing this year, Ferreirinha said, he gained a deeper understanding of the educational ties between the two countries.

Impressive trip

The visit to Beijing Foreign Studies University was "impressive", he said. "It was very important for advancing these new partnerships and showing that we're eager for more."

Ferreirinha hopes more Chinese will study Brazilian Portuguese because the majority of the Portuguese speakers in the world are Brazilians, he said.

Wang Yifan, a student at Beijing Foreign Studies University who has been learning Portuguese for almost eight years, said, "I first learned about Brazil in high school, where it was described as a melting pot of cultures, and that got me curious enough to decide to study Portuguese."

Ye Zhiliang, a professor in Portuguese studies at the university who has compiled many textbooks on the language, said: "We arouse students' interests by integrating interesting topics in our curriculum, including chapters focused on topics related to Brazil, such as soccer, which is highly important to Brazilians."

Wang said he finds Portuguese grammar particularly intriguing, comparing its varied verb conjugations, tenses and voices to a series of mini-games.

"It's like choosing the right game mode based on context, which is challenging and fun," Wang said.

Learning Portuguese allows students to engage with Brazil's society, culture, politics and economy, Ye said.

"Mastering the language helps facilitate effective communication with Brazilians."

In 2016, Beijing Foreign Studies University established its Brazil alumni association in Rio, reflecting the ties between the two countries.

"Rio, once Brazil's capital, is rich in history, with many buildings and traces of the past," Ye said. "The city also boasts a vibrant cultural atmosphere, with important universities, research institutions and artistic organizations — somewhat like Beijing."

Wang, who has taken part in two exchange programs in Brazil, said: "The bond with Brazil will forever endure."