South Africa: Chinese holiday festival brings cross-cultural glee to South African capital.

Shotlist Pretoria, South Africa - Sept 26, 2026 1. Various of visitors at 2026 China–South Africa Mid-Autumn Cultural Exchange Festival; sign 2. Various of visitors experiencing hands-on activities, talking with each other 3. Cultural items on display 4. Calligraphy work 5. Various of visitors experiencing hands-on activities 6. SOUNDBITE (English) local visitor (name not given): "So, today I came here to witness the beautiful culture that we are seeing today. It's amazing to see Chinese people and South Africans coming together as a unity and get to express the cultural values. We tried a lot of our food, new foods, tried new stuff. And even the tea that they sell over there. It was amazing. And for me personally, I had a nice experience." 7. Various of lion dance 8. Performance on stage 9. Festival attendees watching performance 10. SOUNDBITE (English) local visitor (name not given): "I feel it's good for us youths to enjoy and experience such new cultures, learn different cultures. It's a very awesome experience for me. Well, the dancers is (are) impressive, the music is lovely. And I just enjoy everything." 11. Various of performance on stage 12. Festival attendees watching performance Storyline South Africans experienced the joy of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival this weekend, taking part in cross-cultural learning experiences at a grand outdoor event in Pretoria. The 2026 China-South Africa Mid-Autumn Cultural Exchange Festival concluded on Sunday in the capital city. The festival is a key cultural event of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, which aims to bring local communities together to celebrate cultural diversity and friendship. The two-day event was free and open to the public throughout the weekend, offering local people a glimpse into the meaning of the holiday, which traditionally falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, marking the harvest season. At the festival in Pretoria, visitors were invited to "make wishes to the moon" in celebration. Also featured were an African ethnic culture exhibition, a Chinese food zone, and interactive programs showing intangible cultural heritage. "It's amazing to see Chinese people and South Africans coming together as a unity and get to express the cultural values. We tried a lot of our food, new foods, tried new stuff. And even the tea that they sell over there. It was amazing. And for me personally, I had a nice experience," said a local young man visiting the festival. Mooncake tastings, calligraphy sessions and other hands-on activities attracted local residents as well as members of the Chinese community living in South Africa, with performances of dance and music adding to the festive atmosphere. "I feel it's good for us youths to enjoy and experience such new cultures, learn different cultures. It's a very awesome experience for me. Well, the dancers are impressive, the music is lovely. And I just enjoy everything," another local festival attendee said. Organizers said they will continue to use traditional holidays as a platform to build more people-to-people exchange opportunities and further strengthen mutual understanding between South Africans and Chinese communities. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]