Date: 28 January 2009
Event: London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2009
Details: The event was held at the London Regatta Centre in the Royal Albert Docklands from 10am to 5pm.
The 12th London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2009 attracted thousands of visitors to celebrate this spectacular traditional Chinese festival.
Around 40 dragon boat teams from all over the UK and Hong Kong were competing in a day of racing on London’s River Thames.
Most of the rowers are corporate and public sector organisations employees, wearing fancy dresses and all raced at least three times in the course of 200m.
Londoners, people with different nationalities and ethnics were cheering up along the river side. Apart from boating, they were also amazed by a variety of splendid cultural programmes.
The highlights of the whole day programmes are Lion Dancing accompanied with living music, Spectrum Radio featuring Kung Fu performance, a charming display of Chinese calligraphy, Chinese arts and crafts, as well as tasty food and drinks.
The whole day events was organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association, the London Chinatown Lions Club, the Hong Kong Executives Club, and supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London.
Ms Rita Lau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development from Hong Kong government, said to a Hong Kong Press that she is delighted to be at London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, and see so many people having fun, learning about Chinese culture and Hong Kong.
She also said that though Hong Kong is a small place, but it is a popular stage for world-class sporting events. Like in the coming year, Hong Kong will have the honour of hosting the International Dragon Boat Festival, and it look forward to welcoming UK boat teams and visitors to this upcoming great sporting event.
The Dragon Boat Festival is originally set to commemorate the greatest idealistic poet and reformer Qu Yuan who committed suicide by drawing himself into the Mi Lo River in the third century B.C., as he was devastated to learn his country was invaded by the rival kingdom.
Immediately after his suicide, the locals raced out in their boat in an attempt to rescue him, and splashed plenty of food into the river trying to keep the fish away from his body.
Today the festival is gradually exporting to the different parts of world, more as a cultural ambassador staging on an international arena.
While introducing traditional Chinese culture to foreigners, it is also trying to bridge the cultural and mental gaps between Asian and Westerners in order to enhance mutual understanding.
Along the cultural celebration, the event also aims to raise funds to five local Chinese Communities Organisations.
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