Thousands join in the festival spirit in Egypt

People in Cairo enjoyed Chinese cultural activities on Feb 5 at the Maadi Island Park along the River Nile in Cairo. It is the sixth year that Egyptians have taken part in the annual Happy Spring Festival. [Photo by Yu Yao/China Daily]

Nasser has learned Chinese kung fu for several years. He and his 16-year-old sister joined a kung fu club in Cairo which has more than 100 members. They're also fans of Chinese kung fu movies starring Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee or Jet Li. Their reasons for learning kung fu are simple: to protect themselves and keep fit. However, except for kung fu, they know nothing about China.

The 27-year-old said he wanted to learn from China to help his own country to get stronger.

Besides locals, the Happy Spring Festival attracts many people from cities outside Cairo.

It took Mody Mansoura and his twin brother two hours by bus to join in the festival fun. They are at their senior year in college and spent three months learning Chinese in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, last year. They stayed with a local Chinese family to celebrate Chinese New Year.

"I decided to come when I heard there would be a Spring Festival celebration in my own country. I like dumplings," Mansoura said.