SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A North California cultural-athletic group Saturday launched its 17th annual sports and cultural event that brought together Chinese and other ethnic communities for a full day of sports competitions and culture-themed programs.
The joyful gala, hosted by the Northern California Chinese Culture-Athletic Foundation (NCCCAF), featured a variety of events including basketball, soccer, track and field, badminton, high-jumping, Chinese Kung Fu (martial arts) competitions, singing and dancing, as well as family fun activities that aimed to cement the bond among family members.
Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Wang Donghua said the multi-content event is a major gathering for North California Chinese communities, particularly Bay Area residents, to increase mutual understanding and friendship, exchange sport skills, bring sportsmanship into full play, and engage in body-building exercises.
This is also an opportunity for various overseas Chinese communities to come together and get united in the efforts to promote the reunification of China, Wang said.
Peter Chi, honorary chairman of the NCCCAF who declared the opening of the sport meeting, told Xinhua that the event, which was started in 2003, has been growing steadily in the past years with increasing influence in North California.
The event has played a great role in promoting cross-straits cultural exchanges and communication among athletes, and boosted the influence of Chinese communities in North California, he added.
Hundreds of people from various Chinese groups and organizations that formed 128 athlete teams attended Saturday's competition and cultural events.
This year's event also attracted participants from non-Chinese communities that showed great interest in cross-community exchanges and connections.
Corey Gomez, a high school teacher in Woodside town of San Mateo County, south of San Francisco, said he loved Chinese culture and heritage.
"I was very interested in martial arts and I got lucky enough to find the Shaolin Temple USA when I was young, and I immediately fell in love with it," he said.
Shaolin Temple USA is a Bay Area-based training center that offers programs for both Western and overseas Chinese students to learning Chinese Kung Fu and marital arts-related heritage.
Gomez said he has practiced martial arts for more than two years. "It's a great hobby that helps with health and promote strength and flexibility. I couldn't recommend it highly enough," he said.
Gomez noted that the event provides a platform where "we can share cultural experiences, bring a greater color to life."
"It's great to share these kind of sporting events with the local community here in the Bay Area," he added.
