It’s Dumpling Time! Chinese Peacekeepers in the DRC Celebrate the Annual Dragon Boat Festival

Members of a medical detachment of China's 24th peacekeeping team to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) make rice dumplings as part of base celebrations for the Dragon Boat Festival in Bukavu.June 14, 2021. Image via Xinhua.

Monday was the annual Dragon Boat Festival holiday in China when it’s customary to eat sticky rice dumplings known as Zongzi 粽子.

And even though they were far from home, a group of Chinese soldiers deployed as part of a UN Peacekeeping mission to the eastern Congolese city of Bukavu (photo) managed to have ingredients flown in to celebrate the holiday in true Chinese style (with a belly full of dumplings!)

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by Eric Olander

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