The event coincides with the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the "2016 China Culture Year" in Egypt.

The date of the festival was carefully chosen to mark both the 67^th  anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and Egypt's October Victory in 1973.

Egypt is proud of the River Nile, which is one of their most ancient civilization symbols, and the dragon symbolizes both power and benevolence in Chinese culture

The two countries have the world's oldest civilizations and they share special historical ties, and today the Chinese culture in Dragon boating and the amazing river in Egypt are combined together.

The Dragon Boat Festival is organized by the China-Egypt Friendship Association, a non-governmental organization in Cairo, with the cooperation of the Chinese Embassy and the Cairo governorate.

Twelve teams including four professional groups from China, Egypt and European countries joined the race.

Activity

The Dragon Boats has been celebrated with the Egyptians at Cairo river Scout for the Egypt's victory in the October War on October 6, 1973

The Egyptian Folklore Dance from the Ministry of Culture, and the Dragon Dance to welcome the Dragon Boats

Importance of the festival

-It opens new chapter of Egypt-China cultural exchange

-The Dragon Boats attract the World to the River Nile!

-It Strengthen the friendship in harmony and with a lot of fun!

-A new sport for the Egyptians - Dragon Boating!

History

China celebrated Dragon Boat Festival, a traditional and statutory holiday originating in China.

The festival, often known as the Tuen Ng or Duanwu Festival, now occurs on the 5^th day of the 5^th month of the traditional lunar calendar, the source of its alternative name, the Double Fifth Festival.

The focus of most celebrations involves eating zongzi (sticky rice treats wrapped in bamboo leaves), drinking regular wine, and racing dragon boats.

The sun is considered to be at its strongest around the time of summer solstice, as the daylight in the northern hemisphere is the longest.

The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty.

A cadet member of the Chu royal house, Qu served in high offices. However, when the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason.

During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured Ying, the Chu capital.

In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River.

It is said that the local people, who admired him, raced out in their boats to save him or at least retrieve his body.

This is said to have been the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of zongzi.