In celebration of the 1st International Tea Day, Tea Research Institute of CAAS (TRI CAAS) has launched a nationwide campaign that lasts from May 8-21 to raise awareness of this special day and promote a healthy lifestyle.

May 21 marks the 1st International Tea Day and China’s 12th National Tea Drinking Day. The debut of International Tea Day was celebrated with a high note. Following a number of drumbeating events including vlogging competition, essay contest, knowledge quiz with prizes, tea-tasting webinars, and Media Open Day, a Cloud Tea Gathering was held on the very day of May 21.

Cloud Tea Gathering

At this virtual event organised by TRI CAAS and China Tea Science Society (CTSS), China’s top tea scientists from TRI CAAS and other institutions, joined by tea masters and tea enthusiasts around the globe, were invited to celebrate tea culture and share their love and passion of the beverage.

FAO Director-General, Mr. Qu Dongyu, made a remark at the event, in which he sent greetings and highlighted the need for sustainable production and consumption of tea. Mr. Han Changfu, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, also sent his wishes and greetings.

TRI CAAS Media Open Day 

A total of 20 media attended the event on May 20, where the institute’s Director General, Prof Jiang Renhua, and tea scientists from different fields of study updated the latest research results and introduced how tea makes a better life possible. The scientists were interviewed on the impact of coronavirus on the tea industry and what has been done at TRI CAAS in response to that, as well as answering questions related to poverty alleviation, rural revitalization, tea export and branding of Chinese tea in the world market. A video about the history and development of TRI CAAS was also screened at the event. The event was hosted by Prof Jiang Yongwen, Deputy Director General of TRI CAAS

International Tea Day is observed annually on May 21 to promote tea as a beverage and its benefits across the world, as well as raising awareness of the contribution of tea production to the SDG goals such as the reduction of extreme poor (SDG 1). The date was proposed by the Intergovernmental Group on Tea and was approved by the United Nations at its General Assembly in December 2019. This year, various virtual events are held at countries across the world including Sri Lanka, Australia, the United States, to celebrate this day in lockdown situation.

The 4th China International Tea Expo, one of world’s largest tea event taking place every year in May, was announced to be held on July 24-27 this year, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on May 20.

By Zhou Ximai (ximai.zhou@tricaas.com)