On April 21st,the fifth Asian Culture Festival, hosted by the Faculty of Asian Languages and Cultures, had its opening ceremony on the main avenue of theNorth Campus. On the theme of “Originated in China, States of Asian Cultures”, the Asian Culture Festival consisted of several parts, including Multi-languages Drama Contests, “One Belt and One Road Initiative” Cultural Exhibition, Overall Skills Contest and so on, aiming to show the different flavors of different countries, as well as allow teachers and students to appreciate the glamour of different cultures. The attendees included:TANG Suan, Cambodian Consul-general in Guangzhou; PAN Zhanguang, the Vice President of Capgemini Business Service Center; LIU Haichun, the Vice President of GDUFS, and relative directors in Student Affairs, the Faculty of Asian Languages and Cultures, the School League Committee, and Placement Office. They started the opening ceremony together, on which YANG Minsheng, the Vice Chairman of the University Board of the Faculty of Asian Languages and Cultures,delivered an opening speech.

Opening ceremony

Opening Ceremony—appreciating songs and dances

characterizing various cultures

With an LED stage utilized for the first time and accompanied by exquisite promotion films about travelling and cultures in various countries, the opening ceremony greatly broadened people’s horizons. Then, several guests and leaders went on to the stage to touch the crystal ball, symbolizing various countries together, and proclaimed the opening of the Asian Culture Festival. Later on, a rangeof fabulous shows were performed, such as dancing shows, national costumes shows, singing shows and so on, which met with universal applause.

Asian Flavor Street—tasting the delicacies of 12 Asian countries

The Asian Flavor Street involved 15 stalls set up by 12 different majors’ students, including Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Arabic, Hindi, Burmese, Lao, Cambodian, Malay and Urdu. They showed the unique clothes, food and cultures of different countries, fully displaying the distinguishing features of their majors.

Various specialties were demonstrated on the main avenue of the North Campus, including Pakistan Chai Tea, Indian Curry Rice, Japanese Sake, Thai Tom Yum Kung, Laotian Mango Sticky Rice, Arabian Barbecue, Indonesian Coconut Pudding, Vietnam Spring Roll, Korean Rice Cake, Cambodian Herbal Jelly, Burmese Jerky, Malaysian Mango Juice and so on, satisfying all guests, teachers and students with the great diversity of delicacies.

On the other hand, all stalls racked their brains and used all kinds of ways to attract customers. Somestudents, dressing in traditional costumes ofthe ethnic groups they were representing, yelled with their billboards. Others took pictures with customers in front of their stalls. Long queues of girls standing at thePakistani stall only for its exquisite Mehndi (a kind of short-lived tattoo). Scenic postcards of Bali as well as chic porcelain accessories from the Indonesia Stall also caught people’s eyes. The Vietnam Stall launched Guess the Song and a Knowledge Contest. While The Korean Stall played a Korean-style card, they pulled the billboard printed with the “national husband”—SONGZhongji, the man who was well-known for a TV shownamed “Descendants of the Sun”, in an obvious place, which attracted people greatly to take photos.

Before the activity, the organizer, the Student Union under the Youth League Committee in the Faculty of Asian Languages and Cultures, had given effective publicity to the event both online and offline. Two weeks ago, students of the Youth League Committee had given introductions to every stall and basic knowledge of different countries such as geography, customs, historical origins with China and so on. One of the highlights of publicity was the collection cards, whose observe side was the general impression from each major for their objective countries and reverse side was printed with a mini-map about those countries in the Maritime Silk Route. During the event, people could gain related signets if they took part in the games of each stall. And participants could get exquisite prizes ifthey accumulated all signets.

Lin, a student came all the way from Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, said in an interview that she noticed the information about the Asian Cultural Festival on her WeChatMoments and she was very interested it. Despite her busy schedule, she thought the trip was worthwhile because of the wonderful opening ceremony. For example, the food and clothes of every booth were exotic as well as fascinating. She also expressed that she would come back to experience such a splendid festival next year if she got a chance.

The first cohort of Urdu majors said, “We have been looking forward to the Asian Cultural Festival for a long time. Although we have no senior students to sharethe experience with us, we’ve gained help from our foreign and Chinese teachers. Everybody is fully involved in this activity, playing their own roles. In spite of some accidents, it turned out to be satisfying, which was a recognition of our long-term preparation.”