The opening ceremony of the Ninth Jilin Traditional Ethnic Sports Festival. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Jilin province launched its ninth traditional ethnic sports festival on Aug 16 in Meihekou, bringing together more than 1,300 athletes from 13 delegations to celebrate sporting traditions, cultural diversity, and ethnic unity.

The event was hosted by the Jilin Provincial People's Government and co-organized by the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Jilin Province and other organizations. It featured 16 sports, including 11 competitive disciplines and five exhibition events.

Competitors will take part in traditional activities such as swings, springboard jumping, ethnic fitness exercises, ethnic wrestling, martial arts, spinning tops, three-person board-shoe racing, and traditional archery.

The opening ceremony of the Ninth Jilin Traditional Ethnic Sports Festival. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

As a multi-ethnic province, Jilin views the traditional ethnic sports festival as a key platform to foster exchanges, interaction, and mutual understanding among different ethnic communities. The event follows the principles of equality, unity, perseverance, and progress.

The opening ceremony also featured a colorful cultural performance, showcasing the distinctive traditions of Jilin's diverse ethnic communities. Through music, dance, and other forms of artistic expression, the celebration highlighted how different cultures coexist, interact, and flourish across the province.