Togo held a military parade and mass rally on the 27th to celebrate the 66th anniversary of its national independence. A Chinese traditional cultural procession made an appearance in the parade, marking the first time a foreign cultural contingent has taken part in Togo’s Independence Day parade in its history.
The Chinese traditional cultural procession, composed of students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Lomé, debuted as the first folk cultural contingent in the entire parade. Thirty-four students of the Confucius Institute, dressed in traditional Chinese ethnic costumes, together with dragon and lion dance teams performing along the route, presented a unique and spectacular cultural performance, winning warm applause from the audience on site.
Wang Min, Chinese Ambassador to Togo, told Xinhua News Agency that the Chinese traditional cultural procession stood out prominently among the parade ranks. It complemented Togo’s traditional folk contingencies perfectly, jointly painting a vivid picture of the mutual appreciation and harmonious coexistence between Chinese and Togolese civilizations.
More than 10,000 attendees, including Togolese President Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové, Chairman of the Council of Ministers Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, other political dignitaries, representatives from all walks of life, and diplomatic envoys stationed in Togo, attended the celebration ceremony.
