Dragon boat race in Romania marks Chinese traditional festival

BUCHAREST, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The China-Romania dragon boat friendship race to celebrate the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival was held on Sunday at Bordei Lake in the northern suburbs of Bucharest, the Romanian capital.

It was the first of its kind held in the Eastern European country, attracting a crowd of over 500 people. Following the race, people were invited to enjoy the "World Heritage in China" exhibition and cultural performance.

Chinese Ambassador to Romania Han Chunlin highlighted during the opening ceremony that the Dragon Boat Festival is one of China's four traditional festivals, with a history of more than 2,000 years. It is also the first festival in China to be listed as a world intangible cultural heritage.

"The purpose of our celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival is to carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture and inherit the patriotism and collectivism spirit of the Chinese nation," Han said.

He called for joint efforts in implementing the global civilization initiative, strengthening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, enhancing people-to-people bonds, and continuously promoting the development of China-Romania friendly relations.

Five teams participated in the competition, with the Chinese ambassador and Romanian guests dotting the eyes of the dragon ornament on dragon boats.

The cultural festival also showcased a diverse of programs such as martial arts, dance performance, Chinese zither music to the Romanian people. These performances sparked great interest in Chinese culture among the local population, receiving rounds of applause from the audience.

During the Dragon Boat Festival event, people actively participated in various activities such as making zongzi (traditional sticky rice dumplings), weaving Chinese knots, calligraphy writing, tea art, origami, and facial makeup.

Xu Ningbo, director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Bucharest, said that the successful holding of the first China-Romania dragon boat friendship race and Dragon Boat Festival has promoted the people-to-people bonds and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The traditional culture related to the Dragon Boat Festival has further deepened the understanding of China, Xu said.

The event was co-organized by the Romanian Qingtian Association, Zhejiang Ruian Association, Chinese Sport and Culture Association in Romania, Zhejiang Overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and the Chinese Cultural Center in Bucharest.