Shenzhen Yadi School, located in Dapeng New District, celebrated its partnership with the Goethe-Institut on Thursday, officially becoming the 83rd PASCH school in China and the fifth in Shenzhen.

PASCH, which stands for “Schools: Partners for the Future,” is an initiative aiming to promote mutual understanding and friendship between different countries through educational cooperation and cultural exchange and to cultivate students’ language and cultural abilities.

The global network now has some 2,000 schools around the world, according to its official website.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Shenzhen Yadi School.

Kristina Xu (L), PASCH program director, presents a certificate showing that Shenzhen Yadi School has become the 83rd PASCH school in China, to Gao Qing, president of Shenzhen Yadi School, at a ceremony Thursday. Courtesy of Shenzhen Yadi School

Gao Qing, president of Shenzhen Yadi School, said in a speech during the ceremony that it is the school’s honor to be part of the PASCH initiative. The core ideas of the initiative are in line with the values promoted at Shenzhen Yadi School, according to Gao.

“Our school has full confidence in the successful implementation of the program and we will work together to foster students’ growth and contribute to a brighter future,” Gao said.

Kristina Xu, PASCH program director, said that in the face of increasing global challenges, it is necessary for countries around the world to cooperate and more foreign language talents to communicate in order to figure out solutions.

Xu assured Shenzhen Yadi School of the Goethe-Institut’s complete support in promoting fruitful cooperation and achieving successful outcomes.

Launched in February 2008, PASCH is an initiative spearheaded by the German Federal Foreign Office in cooperation with Germany’s Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA), the Goethe-Institut, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Educational Exchange Service (PAD) in Germany.

In addition to Shenzhen Yadi School, the other four PASCH schools in the city include Shenzhen Middle School, Vanke Meisha Academy, Shenzhen Second Foreign Languages School and Shenzhen No. 2 Experimental School.