A statue of Confucius sits covered in advance of Sunday's grand opening of Brock's Confucius Institute.

The Confucius Institute at Brock University will officially open its doors this weekend.

To mark the occasion, the institute and University will host a grand opening community celebration this Sunday, May 15, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

The ceremony and accompanying cultural showcase are free and open to everyone in Niagara.

The colourful event takes place in the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre, and includes a Fujian Lacquer art exhibit by renowned artist Tianliang Wang in the theatre’s gallery. And Lion Dance, Chinese Gong Fu, Peacock Dance and traditional Chinese instrument ensemble performances inside the theatre.

The Confucius Institute is housed in the new International Centre at Brock and is one of about 300 such institutes worldwide. It is the third facility in Ontario.

Mandarin language credit courses have been offered at Brock since 1989, but the new institute will make Brock the formal certification centre for all Mandarin language teachers throughout southern Ontario, said Greg Finn, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President Academic in an article in the St. Catharines Standard today.

“Brock is able to assume this major undertaking partly because of its established connections with local school boards and the Ontario College of Teachers,” he wrote.

This institute represents a collaboration between Brock and its partner institution Minjiang University, based in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China, to connect the country’s growing influence on the world stage with the Niagara region, and Greater Toronto and Golden Horseshoe areas of southern Ontario.

The institute will also showcase Chinese arts and culture in the local community.