The Wenzhou Overseas (Paris) Dragon Boat Base holds a dragon boat race. [Photo/WeChat account: haiwaifabu]
To celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, which fell on June 3 this year, three Wenzhou Overseas Dragon Boat Bases in Catalonia, Rome and Paris held dragon boat races, according to media reports.
On May 28, a cultural festival themed on the Dragon Boat Festival was held at the wharf in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. It was organized by the Barcelona Qingtian Association and the Spanish Chinese Dragon Boat Club (Wenzhou Overseas Dragon Boat Base).
Zhu Jingyang, consul general of the People's Republic of China in Barcelona and the mayor of Badalona, were invited to give speeches and put the finishing touches on the dragon boats according to Chinese traditional customs. Overseas Chinese and local people raced dragon boats and tasted zongzi at the event.
In 2018, the Wenzhou Overseas Dragon Boat Base was established in Spain with the strong support of the municipal government of Badalona and local overseas Chinese groups.
On November 28, 2021, the Wenzhou Overseas Dragon Boat Base was established in Rome, Italy, and received strong support from the Chinese Embassy in Italy, the Rome Chinese Dragon Boat Club and many local overseas Chinese groups.
That same day, another Wenzhou Overseas Dragon Boat Base was established in Paris, France.
Cai Jingrui, head of the Wenzhou Overseas (Paris) Dragon Boat Base, said that the base is mainly composed of overseas Chinese from Wenzhou and locals, with more than 50 members.
