Rio de Janeiro (People's Daily) - In celebration of the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, the first Brazil Rio de Janeiro Dragon Boat Race, themed 'China-Brazil Integration, Riding the Waves Together,' will be held from June 20 to 21 at Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon in the South Zone of Rio. In a recent interview with the People's Daily, Chen Xiangguang, chairman of the event organizing committee and general manager of Brazil CBA Cultural Media, said he hopes this event will bring Chinese Dragon Boat Festival culture and dragon boat racing into the daily lives of more Brazilians.

Promotional poster for the first Rio de Janeiro Dragon Boat Race (Photo: courtesy of the organizing committee)

Six dragon boats will be used for the event, five for racing and one kept ashore for tourists to try out and take photos. Considering that most participants have never been exposed to dragon boat racing before, the organizing committee has arranged three days of pre-race training.

In addition to dragon boat races, the event will feature experience zones for traditional Chinese culture, including dragon and lion dances, calligraphy, tai chi, and Chinese painting workshops, as well as a "Flavors of China" food area. Chen also revealed that the event will feature a special "Pink Dragon Boat" category, inviting women who are undergoing or have recovered from breast cancer treatment to participate. At the same time, the organizing committee will also carry out environmental education and interactive activities for children from underprivileged communities and for neurodiverse groups, further expanding the event's social and charitable value.

As the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro has a deep sports culture. The event has received support from the Rio city government, the Brazilian Canoeing Confederation, and other institutions and will be open to the public through a free reservation system. So far, more than 10 teams from various parts of Brazil have signed up to compete. In addition to dragon boat racing, there will also be demonstrations and participatory activities for other water sports such as canoeing and sprint kayaking.