'Proudly Kenyan' culture shines at World Cultural Festival in Beijing

Kenyan students draped in Maasai shukas and flag-themed lesos showcased Kenya’s culture at the 19th World Cultural Carnival in Beijing, China.

The event hosted at the Beijing Language and Culture University, popularly known as the ‘Mini United Nations’ saw Kenyans studying in China join their counterparts from 103 countries, regions, and people from all walks of life in an elegant display of different dressing, song and dance, language and performances.

The festival held on April 27 was themed: “Feel the Infinite Charm of Cultural Integration: Listen to the Harmonious Movement of the World.

The World Cultural Festival is an important occasion for multicultural coexistence, a platform for the cultural display of various countries.

The event offers an opportunity for international students to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture as they showcase the uniqueness of their own.

The festival came at an opportune time as the summer holidays beckoned.

The event was graced by high-level leadership of the Beijing Municipal Government, University leadership, cultural and financial institutions, and foreign envoys based in China.

The Kenyan Embassy in China was represented by Kenyans studying at BLCU and Beijing at large.

Kenyan students interacted with the wider Chinese community, who visited the Kenyan booth and inquired about popular tourist sites in Kenya.

Peter Gikonyo, PhD student at BLCU who also does Chinese tour guiding, welcomed Chinese tourists to visit the magnificent Masai Mara, the spectacular beaches of the Kenyan coast and the highlands of Kenya in central Kenya.

He also invited potential tourists to experience the views of the Great Rift Valley and the savannah landscapes, to enjoy the breathtaking view of the highest mountain in Africa from the ‘elephant’s paradise’ Amboseli National Park, and feed giraffes at Giraffe Center in Nairobi, amongst other scenic spots.

Kenya is a top destination for tourists, emerging seventh world travel destination for European tourists in 2023 and second in Africa according to Telegraph Travel Awards.

In 2020, Kenya ranked top tourist destination in Africa according to the World Travel Awards.

Among the most popular attractions is the seventh wonder of the wildebeest migration in Masai Mara in June and July, when more than 1.5 million wildebeest migrate in an enormous loop every year.

The majority of Chinese tourists visit Kenya during this season.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China ranked among Kenya’s top 10 global inbound tourism markets and was its second-largest Asian source market.

Some 83,180 Chinese tourists visited Kenya in 2018 and 83,388 in 2019, and after a slow three-year period, the two countries are working jointly to increase the numbers.

Deputy Head of Mission at the Kenya Embassy in Beijing Amb. Lynette Mwende-Ndile said she was excited to see Kenyan students raising the country’s flag high, and that the mission was grateful for the contributions to growing Kenya-China ties in the new cycle – post-60 years of diplomatic relations.

“The people-to-people exchange is a core principle that underpins the Strategic Cooperation Framework between Kenya and China,” Amb Mwende said.