"Please stand up, raise the national flag and sing the national anthem! "

In the early morning of April 20, the first day of CPU's 2nd semester of 2019-2020 academic year, CPU held a special flag-raising ceremony, also a special opening ceremony.

7 AM, CPU Communist Party Committee secretary Jin Nengming raised the national flag for the first time of the semester.

Over 10,000 faculty and students watched the ceremony online in live classrooms while staying at homes or dormitories.

Lai Maode, President of CPU and Academician of German Academy of Sciences, gave faculty and students the First Lesson of 2020 on the air, and pressed the restart button for all the work of the semester.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-century global disaster on humankind, said president Lai. “Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government, 1.4 billion Chinese people have united together in the fight against the pandemic, and achieved important periodic results.”

He then introduced the enormous contribution made by CPU faculty members who volunteered in Wuhan. The respect for science and facts, professional knowledge and excellent skills are important guarantee for fighting the epidemic and saving lives.

He encouraged students to advance the spirit of CPU's motto Being proficient in knowledge and committed to serve public health, then announced the beginning of Spring Semester, 2020.
Secretary Jin said the open class under the national flag is organized online in order to reduce the risk of the gathering and movement of personnel, and is an extensive and in-depth patriotism education among faculty and students.

This open class under the national flag is the 12th time of its series, which has achieved full coverage of all students. By 2 AM on Apr.20, more than 220,000 clicks had been recorded for the re-opening ceremony.

Original text and photos by CPU New Media Center
English version by School of International Education