Activities on Dragon Boat Festival held at home of Iowa's Sarah Lande, American friend of China

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, traditionally falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, which was on Monday (June 10) this year, coinciding with the newly established International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.

Representatives of China Media Group (CMG) and the Chinese Consulate-General in Chicago visited Sarah Lande, a friend of China in the U.S. state of Iowa, on the day and jointly held an activity for the Dragon Boat Festival.

Lande invited some friends from China and the United States to celebrate the festival, taste Chinese food and experience Chinese traditional culture through a family dinner at her home.

"The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. Different forms of activities are held around the world to celebrate the event, which helps people around the world experience the charm of the Chinese culture," Shen Haixiong, president of CMG, said in his letter to Lande.

Expressing his gratitude to Lande, Shen noted that CMG is willing to work with Lande and other American friends to help promote mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.

Lande expressed her gratitude to CMG for holding the event, saying that she is very happy to have the opportunity to invite Zhao Jian, China's consul general in Chicago, and other Chinese friends as guests to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. 

She noted that the activity serves as a good example of the dialogue of civilizations between China and the United States, and she wished that the friendship between the two peoples could last forever.

Rick Kimberley, who runs a farm in the state of Iowa, said at the event that after decades of interactions with Chinese friends, he has truly felt the warmth and friendship of the Chinese people, adding that he and his wife Martha Kimberley are willing to continue to contribute to bringing people between the two countries closer and promoting bilateral relations.

According to a China-proposed resolution unanimously adopted by the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on Friday, June 10 was designated as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.

The aim of China's proposal was to fully leverage the important role of dialogue among civilizations in eliminating discrimination and prejudice, enhancing understanding and trust, promoting people-to-people connectivity, and strengthening unity and cooperation.