United Arab Emirates - September 08, 2024

A special event celebrating the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival was held Sunday in Ras Al Khaimah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), drawing in scores of Chinese and local residents.

The event, titled "A Moon Moment to Remember," was organized by the Chinese Cultural Center and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, featuring acrobatic and cultural performances by Chinese artists.

The event not only stirred nostalgia among Chinese visitors, but also brought Chinese culture to local residents.

The show was preceded by an exhibition of China's traditional festival customs, where attendees could explore Chinese knot tying and to sample mooncakes, a festive desert during family reunions in China.

With over 400,000 Chinese living and working in the UAE, there is growing interest in cultural exchange between the two peoples.

Local interest was evident as many local residents came to explore China's Mid-Autumn Festival, expressing their curiosity about Chinese culture.

Shotlist:
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE - Sept 8, 2024:
1. Various of artists performing traditional instruments, acrobatics;
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wan Caihong, performing artist:
"I feel extremely happy and can feel the enthusiasm from the audience, which makes me feel like a little bird dancing in the air.";
3. Various of artists performing acrobatics;
4. Audience clapping;
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Liu Yang, director, China Cultural Center, UAE (partially overlaid with shot 6):
"We are bringing our Chinese autumn cultural affairs to be here to enjoy the beautiful moment together. We are doing a lot of work to promote inbound China tourism with the cooperation of local friends and colleagues so that we hope a lot of UAE residents will come to China, will visit China, will learn more about and experience our culture in China.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
6. Various of artists performing, audience watching;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
7. Various of Chinese and local visitors entering, talking in hall;
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Iyad Rasbey, vice president, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority:
"China has always been an important market for the UAE inbound tourism. We in Ras Al Khaimah, in the last couple of years, we've been focusing on this market, with the development that is taking place currently in the destination. China will play a major role in our growth and development. Year on year we've been experiencing 45 percent to 50 percent growth and we'll continue to do so with our partners and the activities that we are planning for in China.";
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ali Fadel, Emirati visitor (ending with shot 11):
"I want to know about the culture of Chinese, and I want to learn about their country, what they do here, what the program is it. For sure I want to visit China, because I want to learn more about their culture, their food, what they do for a living.";
10. Various of staff member presenting tea to visitor, talking with visitor;
11. Various of mooncake, exhibitions, fans being exhibited, staff member cutting mooncake;
12. Picture wall of China.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]