On June 18, 2023, the “6th Copenhagen Dragon Boat Festival – Let the World Be Filled with Love” was successfully held at Sydhavn in Copenhagen. The event was organized by the Organizing Committee of the Copenhagen Dragon Boat Festival, China Cultural Center in Copenhagen, Copenhagen Rowing Club and supported by the Chinese Embassy in Denmark and more than 40 local Chinese community organizations.
The Copenhagen Dragon Boat Festival has been held for six consecutive years and has become an important platform for the people in Denmark and the Nordic region to learn about Chinese culture.
Speeches were given by Qin Jie, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Denmark, Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, Mayor of Copenhagen, Zheng Wen, Director of the China Cultural Center in Copenhagen, Chai Qiongying, Deputy County Mayor of Longyou County, Finn Andersen, former Chairman of the Danish Cultural Institute, and Lin Yanbiao, Chairman of the Danish Chinese Association.
Qin Jie expressed aspirations that the dragon boat culture would serve as a bond between the people of the two countries, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship. Sophie Hæstorp Andersen expressed a hope that this event would enable more Danish people to gain insight into the diverse and culturally rich traditions and wished that every single person who joined the event to have a pleasant festival experience. Zheng Wen highlighted that the ancient Chinese Dragon Boat culture had spread worldwide, and many countries celebrate Dragon Boat Festival and participate in dragon boat racing. The dragon boat culture is close to nature and embodies the wisdom of harmonious coexistence with nature. The dragon boat race reflects the spirit of teamwork, requiring all participants to work together and cooperate to achieve common goals. This year’s Dragon Boat Festival theme is “Let the World Be Filled with Love”, which aims to set aside conflicts and harness the collective power of unity to drive global social progress.
With the guidance of the esteemed Chinese musician Guo Feng, who especially travelled to Denmark, the audience joined together in singing his song “Let the World Be Filled with Love”. The flags of China and Denmark danced in the air, creating a joyous atmosphere that permeated the entire venue.
During the dragon boat race, 26 teams competed against each other. After several rounds of fierce competition, the Fuhu Dragon Boat Team, composed of Danish dragon boat athletes, won the championship of this year’s event. The Danish navigator and sinologist Huang Siyuan led a professional team and achieved second place. He expressed his hope that one day he would be able to sail from Zhejiang on a non-powered sailboat, following the route of Xu Fu’s voyage to the East, in order to enhance further the friendship between the people of China and Denmark.
China Cultural Center in Copenhagen also organized Chinese and Danish volunteers to participate in the races, and they made it to the third round of the competition.
Thousands of spectators were also attracted to the Chinese food stands set up at the Dragon Boat Festival venue. China Cultural Center in Copenhagen also brought “Tea For Harmony – Yaji” to the event. The tea exhibition and severing began at 10 o’clock in the morning and lasted until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. People joined in inquiring, conversing, tasting, and experiencing the artistic mood of tea culture.
//DANISH
Den 18. juni 2023 blev den “6. Københavns Dragebådsfestival – Lad Verden være Fyldt med Kærlighed” vellykket afholdt i Sydhavn, København. Eventet blev organiseret af Københavns Dragebådsfestivals Organisationskomité, Det kinesiske kulturcenter i København, Københavns Roklub og blev støttet af den kinesiske ambassade i Danmark samt mere end 40 lokale kinesiske organisationer.
Københavns Dragebådsfestival har nu været afholdt i seks år i træk og er blevet en betydningsfuld platform for folk i Danmark og Norden til at lære om kinesisk kultur.
Der blev afholdt taler af Qin Jie, Ministerrådgiver ved den kinesiske ambassade i Danmark, Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, overborgmester i København, Zheng Wen, direktør for det kinesiske kulturcenter i København, Chai Qiongying, viceborgmester i Longyou amt, Finn Andersen, tidligere generalsekretær for Det Danske Kulturinstitut, og Lin Yanbiao, formand for Dansk-Kinesisk Forening.
Qin Jie gav udtryk for håb om, at dragebådskulturen kunne fungere som et bånd mellem befolkningerne i de to lande og styrke gensidig forståelse og venskab. Sophie Hæstorp Andersen udtrykte håbet om, at dette event ville give flere danske mennesker indsigt i de forskellige og kulturelt rige traditioner samt ønskede enhver deltager en god festivalsoplevelse. Zheng Wen fremhævede, at den traditionelle kinesiske dragebådskultur har spredt sig globalt, og mange lande fejrer Dragebådsfestivalen og deltager i dragebådsræs. Dragebådskulturen er tæt knyttet til naturen og afspejler visdommen om harmonisk sameksistens med naturen. Dragebådsræset afspejler ånden af teamwork, hvor alle deltagere skal samarbejde og arbejde sammen om at opnå fælles mål. Årets tema for Dragebådsfestivalen er “Lad Verden være Fyldt med Kærlighed”, hvilket sigter mod at lægge konflikter til side og udnytte den kollektive styrke i enhed for at fremme global social fremgang.
Under kyndig vejledning af den ansete kinesiske musiker Guo Feng, der specielt rejste til Danmark, sluttede publikum sig sammen i at synge hans sang “Lad verden være fyldt med kærlighed”. Både det kinesiske flag og det danske flag dansede i luften og skabte en festlig atmosfære, der fyldte hele stedet.
Under dragebådsræset konkurrerede 26 hold mod hinanden. Efter flere runder af intens konkurrence vandt det danske dragebådshold Fuhu mesterskabet i årets begivenhed. Den danske søfarer og sinolog Huang Siyuan ledte et professionelt hold og opnåede en andenplads. Han udtrykte håb om, at han en dag ville kunne sejle fra Zhejiang på en sejlbåd uden motor og følge Xu Fus rejse til Østen for yderligere at styrke venskabet mellem det kinesiske og danske folk.
Det kinesiske kulturcenter i København organiserede også kinesiske og danske frivillige til at deltage i ræset, og de nåede til tredje runde af konkurrencen.
Tusindvis af tilskuere blev også tiltrukket af de kinesiske madboder, der var opstillet på stedet. Det kinesiske kulturcenter i København bragte også “Te For Harmoni – Yaji” til begivenheden. Te-udstillingen og serveringen begyndte ved 10-tiden om formiddagen og varede indtil klokken fire om eftermiddagen. Folk kom løbende for at spørge, tale, smage og opleve te-kulturens kunstneriske stemning.
