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KIGALI, (Xinhua) --
An international Wushu (Chinese Kung-Fu)
tournament aimed at commemorating the end of the Rwandan
genocide in 1994 closed here on Sunday. Five athletes from five
African countries walked away from the tournament with titles.
The two-day
tournament was hosted by the Confucius Institute at the
University of Rwanda-College of Education in partnership with the
Rwanda Kung-Fu Wushu Federation. The event attracted over 200
athletes from Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. The participants competed in “Sanda” and “Taolu”,
including Wubu Quan, Chang Quan,Gun Shu and Dao Shu.
The Chinese
ambassador to Rwanda, Rao Hongwei was among the dignitaries that
awarded medals to the winners.
Zhang Xian, the
Chinese director of the Confucius institute of Rwanda, said that
the tournament provides a platform for strengthening mutual
understanding and respect among the participants.
He also added that
the tournament can build friendships.
Marc Uwiragiye, the
president of Rwanda Kung-Fu Wushu Federation said that the
tournament helps to highlight the importance of combating
“genocide ideology” around the world. He also added that the
tournament helped to raise the profile of Kung-Fu in Rwanda.
Officially
established in 2012, the Rwanda Kung-Fu Wushu Federation now has
around 2,000 members, according to Uwiragiye. “But we have more
lovers of Kung-Fu,” he said. “Many people in Rwanda are really
interested in Kung-Fu, and parents now start to introduce their
children to Kung-Fu,” he added. |
