Since the establishment of the Confucius Institute of Artois in 2008, a range of Chinese cultural lectures and Chinese language teaching trainings have been held regularly for the purpose of the promotion of .cultural interaction between China and Western world. Besides, it has always good cooperative relations with local societies. On 11th May 2012, the Confucius Institute of Artois assisted the local club LEROTARACT in holding an alternative lecture--15 Puzzles about China.

LEROTARACT is a service club which processes 7,500 branches and more than 173,000 members all over 156 countries and the aim of which is to help the poor people and to promote cultural exchange. In the purpose of striking up the friendship, the Confucius Institute of Artois supported the club to give the lecture.

The hall of the lecture was packed with even before the start. The lecture was given by 15 puzzles about China in the form of a competition: "All the Chinese people speak mandarin?" "Each Chinese family could have no more than one child?" "Chinese people eat spring rolls during the Spring Festival?" and the other puzzles about Chinese food, custom, language and so on. The audience answered the puzzles by raising three cards in different colors which presented different meanings. The lecture was livened up.

The club member Alexsi is answering the puzzle "Are all the Chinese people brothers?"
The puzzles were following by a performance of 2 volunteers in the Confucius Institute of Artois. While SHEN Wenjing was playing Guqin, one of the oldest Chinese traditional instruments, WEI Wenke performed the calligraphy which pushed the lecture to a new high.
The last activity is to taste Chinese authentic traditional food. The colorful and savory dishes which overspread the long table were all cooked by the volunteers in the Confucius Institute: fried chicken, spiced beef, double-cooked pork slices, fish filets, broccoli with chopped garlic, spiced peanuts and so on. The dished were eaten up quickly with full of praise.

The activity went on successfully. With the solving of the 15 puzzles, the audience obtained a deeper understanding about Chinese culture and removed certain stereotyped images about China. They said they were happy to take part in more Chinese cultural activities like this. The club also expressed their willing to cooperate more with the Confucius Institute of Artois to enhance the friendship between China and France.