The "Imperial Garden Cup" 2023 Walking Around Kunming Lake for International Friends kicked off on the afternoon of November 4. The event attracted over 200 diplomatic envoys in China, foreign experts, foreign teachers and international students from more than 70 countries for a long walk around Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace, where they could enjoy the beautiful scenery of the golden autumn in Beijing.

Since its launch in 2001, the event has been held annually in Beijing as a folk sports and cultural exchange activity for international friends. The latest event marked its 22nd consecutive session.

The event was also participated by 14 Internet users who had registered for the walk through the official WeChat account "BeijingService". The journey began from the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and extended southward through several renowned attractions amidst the blue waters and green mountains surrounding Kunming Lake. Notable sites included Xiuyi Bridge, West Gate, Gengzhi Scenic Area, Stone Boat, Tower of Buddhist Incense, Garden of Harmonious Pleasures and Pavilion of Flourishing Culture. Upon completing the eight-kilometer walk, participants returned to the Seventeen-Arch Bridge to exchange collected badges for prizes. Sinkinesh, an Ethiopian native and a teacher at Beijing Foreign Studies University, captured this event she attended for the second time in her WeChat Moments. She spoke with enthusiasm about her appreciation for this cultural activity, as it allowed her to explore diverse attractions and sites. Sinkinesh expressed her anticipation for future involvement in the event.

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]

[Photo via Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries]