VIPs pose for a snapshot with Mets Mascot:Consul General Sun, Guoxiang from the Consulate General of P.R. China in New York (Left to Mascot) as well as executive members of Sino-American Friendship Associate ,supporters and sponsors

The 5th annual An Evening of Chinese Culture hit Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets baseball team, on the evening of a game against the Miami Marlins on September 13, 2013.An Evening of Chinese Culture was sponsored by the Sino-American Friendship Association and the Sino-American Culture and Arts Foundation, Cimagine Media Group, created to give baseball fans insight into China through the country’s traditional cultural forms. As a special annual event, an Evening of Chinese Culture partnered with New York Mets are honored to celebrate this wonderful moments in a Chinese traditional holiday in a way that Chinese culture meets western sport.

During the Sino-American Friendship Extraordinary Awards ceremony, Ambassador Sun, Peter Koo and Peter Zhang presented the awards to Lou DePaoli, Xue, Yaping, Margaret Lam and Li Li for their dedication and efforts to help promote Chinese Culture.

Sun, wearing a Mets jersey, threw the ceremonial first pitch for the game. "I think a Chinese culture night will facilitate a cultural exchange between Chinese and Americans," said Sun. "Having a kungfu performance before the game is a wonderful way to promote Chinese culture," he added.

Li Li, executive vice president of Sino-American Friendship Association and president of Sino-American Culture & Arts Foundation, said it was a wonderful night for Chinese culture to meet Western sport. "I believe that language can be a barrier, but music and culture can meet and communicate without barrier and beyond boarders," Li said.

  

 
Kongfu Taichi performance with over 200 participants and led by 2-time world champion winner Sitan Chan

Koo, council member of Queens also attended the culture night. "Flushing has the highest concentration of Asian-Americans in New York, so here is a great place to host culture event like this," he said.

Throughout the game, a video provided by the CNTO featuring China’s natural landscapes was shown throughout the stadium. Xue, Yaping said the CNTO was proud to present part of China to American audience. "Our involvement and participation in the local sports event is based on our belief that this is a great way to reach out to the American public and consumers," said Xue. "America is the melting pot of all nations and all cultures."

 
The Executive Vice President of Mets Luo DePaoli prized U.S. Minorities Harmony Award to Consulate General Sun, Guoxiang, Mr. Xue, Yaping, Mr. Peter Zhang, Ms. Margaret Lam and Ms. Li Li

The event was hosted to coincide with Mid-Autumn Festival, which takes place on the 15th day of the eighth-month on the Chinese lunar calendar. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture when family members gather for celebrations that include carrying lanterns, performing dances and eating pastries named moon cakes.

Many US officials sent congratulatory letters to support the event, including ones from Mayor Bloomberg of New York, Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, and Governor Dannel Malloy of Connecticut, among others.

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