First China-EU Sports Day celebrations in Brussels

On Wednesday 25/09, the first China- EU Sports Day will be celebrated at the Schuman square in Brussels, from 12.00 to 22.00. This will be the perfect occasion to have fun, be active and get a feel of China with your own eyes, ears, hands and taste buds. The event will take place on the Schuman square – right in the heart of the Brussels’ EU district. The variety of Chinese sports along with their traditions and codified systems will be one of the event’s main focusses. The activities will kick-off with traditional Tai Chi and Kung-Fu shows.

In the framework of these festivities a documentary about Anhui, an east province from China, premiered last September 21st on TV5 Monde. The international French television will continue to broadcast the show in 43 European countries and, later on, four other continents will follow. While being broadcasted during 36 months, this documentary will reach an audience of 21 million people all over the world.

China changed deeply in recent years. At an incredible speed. The transition from a rural China to an urban and metropolitan one made possible the creation of a new landscape with an avant-garde architecture.

“What is fascinating in Anhui is to see that an urban and rural China coexist in perfect harmony” explains António Buscardini, author of the documentary. “We discovered in Anhui multiple surprising links with France. For instance, the charming village of Tangmo. In fact, thanks to the support of the former french President, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, Tangmo is the first place, outside Europe, to be integrated in the prestigious “Gites de France” network.

To increase the number of European tourists is of great importance for the Chinese authorities. “Today, tourism has become one of the most important ways to enhance mutual understanding between Chinese and European citizens and thus promote Sino-European relations in the new era. In this framework, more and more Europeans decide to settle in China. A good example of that is the story of Philippe, a French expatriate, who lives in China for years, and he’s now the host of a well known series back in China” explains Zhang Ming, Ambassador of China to the European Union.

During the EU-China Sports Day you will have the chance to step into the shoes of the greatest Chinese masters and learn more about Chinese Go and martial arts such as Tai Chi, Wushu and even Chinese fencing. If you are not into sport that much, many other animations are awaiting – you can learn about the variety of flavours of the Chinese cuisine, taste the traditional tea and other delicacies. There will also be different exhibitions of traditional clothing, books and photos. More info about the programme on this link.