Now in its third year, NZCLW aims to deliver a week of fun and practical initiatives that increase awareness among Kiwis of the benefits of learning about the Chinese language and culture.

The week was launched across social media platforms with a short “trailer” video  and was followed up by a number of others, including from the Prime Minister Bill English and the leader of the opposition Jacinda Ardern

“Do you know your nǐ hǎo from your xièxiè?” is the catch-phrase for this year’s New Zealand Chinese Language Week. The focus will be around the “5 days, 5 phrases” social media challenge. Its objective is to get New Zealanders to ‘give Chinese a go’ and encourage friends and colleagues to take up the challenge.

“Just learning five simple phrases can make such a difference when engaging with another culture,” Co-Chair Jo Coughlan said.

Activities will be taking place around New Zealand and are highlighted on the website, the one-stop portal for anyone curious about learning Chinese. There are links to events, learning resources, information for schools, and real-life stories from inspirational “Mandarin Superstars” who describe the many opportunities language learning offers.

Follow NZCLW on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.