By Nick Yates, ISB Communications
Published on Wednesday, June 12, 2024
China has just enjoyed its annual Dragon Boat Festival, and International School of Beijing (ISB) students and community members joined the fun with a special cultural excursion over the long weekend.
Students in Grades 4 through 12 and ISB parents were invited on the trip to downtown Beijing’s Houhai, a popular venue for the traditional boat racing that is an important part of the festival. They observed a professional race, took a workshop on the history of dragon boats, and even paddled a boat, with support from a coach.
The Dragon Boat Festival is observed in China and elsewhere in Asia. The trip was facilitated by ISB’s Chinese Language and Culture Center, which works to enrich students’ and community members’ lives in China. ISB runs one of the region’s leading Chinese and dual language programs in an international school, and we honor local traditions like this in line with our commitment to internationalism and cultural inclusivity.
ISB has taken the plunge with even more China-themed events than usual this year. We are in the Chinese lunar Year of the Dragon, the zodiac that gives the school its emblem and mascot. In this big lunar year, the ISB Dragons have enjoyed not just this Dragon Boat trip but a whole raft of activities to strengthen community and provide peak moments for families.
Dive into this picture gallery to see how ISB made a splash this weekend!