In order to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the “December 9th Patriotic Movement”, on December 8, Nankai University held a campus running activity on Balitai Campus with the theme “Passing on patriotic spirit, bravely bearing responsibilities for public interests”. This is also the 25th year Nankai University has been carrying out relevant activities in commemoration of the “December 9th Movement”.

The activity began with the solemn national anthem. Before the race started, Yang Kexin, Vice Chancellor of the University, awarded the torch to five torchbearers and opened the ceremony.

The cold weather did not abate students’ enthusiasm. Guided by torchbearers, over 60 student representatives from each college of the University set out in front of the Zhou Enlai's Statue on Balitai campus, passed through the Integrated Laboratory Building, the Mati Lake, the Sports Center, the School Stadium and the Second Main Building, to finally arrive at the school bell. The whole route was in the shape of a torch, implying holding up the December 9th torch and shouldering the mission of the times with our youth.

After the activity, teachers and students signed their names in front of the school clock. 

“Today, we commemorate the 85th anniversary of the “December 9th Movement” to draw spiritual power from the history of the Communist Party of China, the history of the People’s Republic of China, and the history of the reform and the opening up in particular, as well as the history of socialist development, to continue the important tasks of the times.” said Wang Tianhao, a postgraduate student of Class 2021 from the School of Physics, “The process of national development and progress is a process of growth, accomplishment, hard work and dedication of the youth. On the way forward, we should take ability and political integrity as the background color of youth, strive to make breakthroughs from scratch in our respective professional fields, and write the historical answer sheet of our generation's personal integration into the greater self with the unremitting pursuit and wholehearted responsibility of Nankai people.”

Nankai University has an historical tradition of commemorating the “December 9th Movement”. In addition to the commemorative long-distance running, the University has also carried out activities such as theme lectures, classic drama repeats, sports and cultural festivals over the past 20 years, aiming to encourage students to bear in mind history and entrustment, so as to work to be a new generation of young people with ability and political integrity as well as patriotic dedication. 

(Reported by Jingqiu Hao and Qiqi Zong, Photographed by Qiqi Zong, Translated by Xiazi Xu, Edited by Davide Francolino and JianjingYun)