Dragon Boat Festival

On 22 June 2023, staff celebrated Dragon Boat Festival with our international students. The International Student Coordinator, George Song, with the assistance of Tracy Zou and Yumi Liu, organised this event. Our staff and students watched a short film to learn about the festival while enjoying dumplings and traditional Dragon Boat food — Zongzi. 

The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday which falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is in late May or June in the Gregorian calendar. The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated to commemorate Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet and minister known for his patriotism and contributions to classical poetry, who eventually became a national hero. 

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the four top traditional Chinese festivals, along with the Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival. In 2023, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on 22 June (Thursday). Many other Asian countries outside of China, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam also celebrate this festival. Some regions such as Chicago in USA and Darwin in Australia celebrate this festival as well.

George Song

International Student Coordinator