To greet the arrival of the Year of Tiger, Shantou Youth League Committee and GTIIT Youth League Committee jointly held the “DIY New Year's Eve Dinner” event. Mr. Ye Fei, the master of Chao Cuisine, and GTIIT teachers were invited to show teachers and students staying on campus their unique ways to make the Dinner.

The red peach kuih and sweet fried taro from Chaoshan Area and Israel-Arabic foods SAMBUSAK and ZAATAR MANAKEESH brought the students and teachers together. The fragrance blended in the air and presented the unique "New Year flavor" of GTIIT. Chef Ye Fei and GTIIT teacher Dr. Ekhlas Homede Abo Jabal showed their cooking skills and explained the origin, selection and preparation of dishes one by one. The participants were eager to have a try and felt the charm of cultures in the process of DIY foods.

"Before the event, I prepared food in the canteen with my Israeli teacher. Seeing the chef expertly rolling the dough, I couldn't help learning. We experienced the unique Middle Eastern flavor of Israeli food and felt the rich customs and culture of Chaoshan area. I am looking forward to our next reunion!" Said Yu Runyang, a student from the class of 2025.

Red, with a brush, will become a couplet; red, with the scissors, the paper-cuttings;  red, with twisted gold thread, will embroider good wishes for the New Year. Mr. Wu Yiwen, member of Chinese Calligrapher's Association and president of Shantou Young Calligrapher's Association, and Ms. Chen Yanshu, Guangdong representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage paper-cut, introduced calligraphy and paper-cut art in detail.

Some of the teachers and students tried to write with brush, some worked together to finish a paper cutting piece, experiencing the unique Chinese culture and rich customs in the artistic creation. 

Prof. David Gershoni, Vice Chancellor of GTIIT, joined the activity and wrote "I love the beautiful new Shantou" in Chinese under the guidance of master calligrapher and in Hebrew. “Paper-cutting is very relaxing. It is not very difficult, but requires much patience and care, otherwise it is easy to make mistakes,” said Assistant Professor Khadga Jung Karki from GTIIT Physics Department.

Ms. Zhang Hong, the intangible cultural heritage of Shantou Gongfu Tea Art and president of Shantou Chaoshan Tea Research Institute, presented the Chaoshan Gongfu Tea Art performance. Drinking a pot of tea and enjoying its aroma, people looked forward to the arrival of the New Year.

Text: Lu Feiyu, GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: Huang Yuezhi, GTIIT News & Public Affairs