Submitted by urci on
On September 3rd, the City of Regina holds the annual dragon boat festival. There were altogether 27 local dragon boat teams participated in the competition. The Confucius Institute at the University of Regina continued to attend the competition this year.
For 25 consecutive years since 1992, the City of Regina conducts the dragon boat festival, an event that manifests traditional Chinese culture. The lake of Wascana is the nature reserve zone in the town center of Regina. Its tranquil water level, fine scenery, makes it an ideal place for the dragon boat training and race. Many residents get together every summer and train themselves for the race. Both professional and amateur teams are enthusiastic in preparation rehearsal and dragon boat race.
The objective of dragon boat festival is to promote the understanding and appreciation of Canada’s multicultural inheritance, encourage friendly competition and enhance exchange among Regina communities, through the traditional Chinese culture activity. The organizing committee is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. Over ten-thousand enthusiastic visitors gathered around the paddler’s village and dozens of service booth from companies and communities like Royal Canadian Navy, Confucius Institute, Sasktel and Red Cross.
This year is the fifth consecutive year that CI-Dragon team participated in the festival. Students from various countries trains together, compete and establish friendship in the team of CI-Dragon. They chant and paddle following a mighty drum, cheer and feel excited of participation in pleasure. Through the dragon boat race activity, many Canadian students became aware of Chinese, the official language of International Dragon Boat Federation, thus increased their interest in Chinese study.
