The second meeting of the ‘Global Program3.0—Global Project’ (G Project) for 2024-2025 was successfully held on February 25, 2025! This project aims to promote cultural exchange among schools from different regions and to cultivate students’ global perspectives and cross-cultural communication skills by sharing cultural characteristics from around the world.
In the previous meeting, schools engaged in an exchange on the theme of ‘Traditional Festivals’, sharing cultural stories and unique festival activities from their respective regions. This provided students with a rich and engaging learning experience. In this meeting, sister schools from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Japan gathered once again to further explore the diversity of festival cultures through in-depth sharing and presentations.
Students from Pinghu Donghu Middle School (Zhejiang, China) introduced the historical background and cultural significance of the Chinese traditional festival, the Dragon Boat Festival. Through descriptions of unique customs such as dragon boat racing and making zongzi (rice dumplings), participants gained a comprehensive understanding of the profound meaning behind the festival.
Students from Lingnan Secondary School (Hong Kong, China) shared about the traditional Hong Kong folk custom of the ‘Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance’. They highlighted its historical origins and unique charm, including how this custom reflects Hong Kong’s cultural diversity and showcases the values of community unity and the continuation of traditions.
Through these exchanges, students gained deeper insights into the differences between Chinese and Japanese New Year celebrations, experiencing the unique charm and richness of both cultures. Students from Guangzhou Number 3 Middle School (Guangzhou, China) presented on China’s most important traditional festival—Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). They explored the cultural significance behind customs such as putting up spring couplets and enjoying reunion dinners. Meanwhile, students from J. F. Oberlin Junior and Senior High School (Tokyo, Japan) delivered a fascinating introduction to Japanese New Year traditions. They detailed activities like eating mochi, visiting shrines for hatsumode, and explained the cultural meaning of ‘osechi ryori’, a traditional New Year’s cuisine symbolizing good fortune. Their presentation immersed participants in a rich cultural atmosphere.
Through these exchanges, students not only recognized the similarities and differences between cultures but also appreciated the shared emphasis on family and unity in different traditions. This cultural exchange deepened everyone’s understanding of each other’s cultures while inspiring them to reflect on and cherish their own traditions!
