On May 19th, the 40th Golden Gate Bay Area Chinese Sports Convention torch lighting ceremony was held at the Founding Father Memorial Hall in San Francisco. The event kicked off with a lively lion dance performance, followed by the singing of the national anthems of the United States and the Republic of China.
Chairman of the Chinese Sports Convention, Chen Chaoquan, gave a speech emphasizing the purpose of the event, which is to promote friendship through sports and enhance the physical well-being of the people.
Deputy Consul General Zhu Yongchang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco mentioned in his speech that the Chinese Sports Convention is one of the grandest events for overseas Chinese, bringing together Chinese communities from various regions to promote unity and health. The relay of the sacred flame aims to promote the spirit of sportsmanship, fair competition, and the pursuit of friendship and well-being.
Following the lead of Chairman Chen Chaoquan, Deputy Consul General Zhu Yongchang, Acting Director of the North Bay Chinese Cultural and Educational Center Liu Daixin, Executive Consultant of the Chinese Sports Convention and Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee Member Lu Yuzhen, Representative President of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and President of the Hehe Benevolent Association Xie Yuechi, Honorary Chairman of the Founding Father Memorial Hall Zhao Chuansan, Co-Chairman of the Chinese Traditional Culture Association Lin Bingchang, Director of the Founding Father Memorial Hall Chen Xiayi, and Secretary of the Zhao Bingxian General Branch, along with other guests, successfully conducted the torch lighting ceremony.
Chen Chaoquan told Dajiyuan that this year’s Chinese Sports Convention torch relay started from San Francisco, passed through Sacramento, and finally arrived in the South Bay, aiming to spread the spirit of the Chinese sports convention and promote Taiwanese sports culture.
He also expressed the hope that this year’s opening ceremony could invite mainstream figures from the Bay Area and Taiwan to participate in the parade, allowing more people to understand Taiwan and its contributions and to promote sports for the betterment of health.
The 40th Golden Gate Bay Area Chinese Sports Convention will kick off with an opening ceremony, parade, and torch relay ceremony at Cupertino High School in Northern California on July 21st.
The events of this year’s Chinese Sports Convention will be similar to those of the previous edition, including traditional Chinese music and arts, tennis, softball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, bowling, shooting, torch relay, wrestling martial arts, golf, Chinese sports convention parade, track and field, tug of war, children’s painting, family fun, and folk arts and crafts (diabolo, spinning top, kicking shuttlecock, sandbag, dough figurines, face painting, animal balloons), among more than thirty competition categories. ◇