Latest news with #InternationalTeaDay
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
Chinese tea goes down a treat at Swiss mountaintop ceremony
A tea artist from China demonstrates the brewing of Chinese tea during a cultural event 'Tea for Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon' at the summit of First in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. – Xinhua photo BERN (May 31): On a crisp spring afternoon, nearly a hundred tea lovers from around the world gathered not in a traditional teahouse, but on the windswept peak of the Grindelwald-First mountain in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland. The fragrant aroma of jasmine and roasted oolong mingled with the alpine air in a cross-cultural celebration of International Tea Day, held on May 21. At an altitude of over 2,100 meters, the event called 'Tea for Harmony – Yaji Cultural Salon' featured traditional Chinese tea ceremonies alongside musical performances, including on the guzheng (Chinese zither), violin, Swiss alphorn, and accordion, as well as yodeling. Swiss violinist Marvin Naef's rendition of the traditional Chinese piece Jasmine Flower was a highlight of the event, earning sustained applause from the audience. Tea artists from China also demonstrated the brewing of renowned Chinese teas from Fujian Province, including Dahongpao and jasmine tea. Participants gained deeper insights into Chinese tea culture by learning about jasmine tea varieties, production techniques, and brewing methods, while savouring the delicate flavours against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks and drifting clouds. They were also impressed by the evolving tea culture that now blends traditional Chinese methods with Western elements such as coffee, milk, and spirits. Participants try Chinese tea during a cultural event 'Tea for Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon' at the summit of First in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. – Xinhua photo 'The blend of nature, music, and tea created a memorable and immersive experience at this event,' said Sabine Foehn, head of International Sales at Lake Lucerne Navigation Company. Remo Kaeser, chief marketing officer for Jungfrau Railways, praised the pairing of Wuyi Rock Tea with the fresh spring water of Mount First. 'Mount First is also full of rocks, with clear spring water flowing over them – there's nothing better than brewing Chinese Wuyi Rock Tea with this water,' Kaeser said. Co-hosted by the China National Tourist Office Zurich, the China Cultural Center in Bern, and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Fujian Province, the event is one of the highlights of the 2025 China-Switzerland Year of Culture and Tourism. Folk artists perform during a cultural event 'Tea for Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon' at the summit of First in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. – Xinhua photo Liu Haisheng, head of the China National Tourist Office Zurich, highlighted the symbolic choice of Mount First for the celebration. 'China's tea culture, with thousands of years of history, is deeply rooted in daily life. Through this tea ceremony and cultural exchange, we aim to share the warmth and friendship of the Chinese people with the world,' Liu said. He noted that Mount Wuyi – known as the birthplace of black and oolong tea – is revered as a sacred site in Chinese tea culture. On April 19, 2024, Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province and Mount Grindelwald-First in Switzerland were officially twinned as 'sister mountains', symbolising a cultural bridge between Chinese tea heritage and the Swiss Alps. People pose for a group photo during a cultural event 'Tea for Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon' at the summit of First in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. – Xinhua photo Liu emphasised that this pairing connects the historic Chinese 'Ten Thousand-Mile Tea Road' with the Swiss Alpine peaks, reflecting a shared commitment to cultural exchange and mutual understanding through tea. At 2,166 metres above sea level, the peak of Grindelwald-First – a hotspot for connoisseurs and adventurers alike – offers breathtaking views of the north face of the Eiger, and access to spectacular hiking trails. – Xinhua China Chinese tea Grindelwald-First mountain Switzerland Xinhua
The Citizen
7 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
WATCH: Music and smiles at Crown Gardens tea day
Senior citizens at Crown Gardens Recreation Centre enjoyed International Tea Day with stakeholders, including the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), the private sector, higher education institutions, SAPS and locals on May 21. They were treated like kings and queens, with waiters on call. The day's presentation included many items. Speaker after speaker talked about ageing gracefully, empowerment in your later years, and watching out for scams. Activities for the day included health checks, legal advice, podiatry, chiropractic, social services, massages, fun games and entertainment. Welcoming the guests and outlining the purpose of the day, Carmen Winnaar from the CoJ said International Tea Day is observed annually on May 21, according to the United Nations. They adopted the resolution on December 21, 2019. Ward 54 Clr Marais Stuart said this day is special for the seniors. VIDEO 'This day is also in honour of the late Felicia, who wanted to do Tea Day with the residents of the south. In memory of her, we did this. Thank you to the team who put all this together. You must all have a lovely day and enjoy yourselves; there are cakes to indulge in,' he said. On the topic of CoJ's 'A City that Cares', Meshack Maluleke, regional manager of Social Development in Region F, emphasised that senior citizens are the best, and the city appreciates them. 'As a caring city, we will give you access to services. We will support you in your needs. Get healthy and exercise to live longer. We urge you to register for rebates. You paid tax for many years in your lives, now it is time for the city to give back,' he said. Maluleke also implored the young people to be volunteers at old-age homes. 'You must be friends with them to assist whenever they need help; be mindful of them,' he noted. Sponsors and partners of the day included Lee's Beauty Clinic, Lois du Plessis (singer and actress in House of Zwide), SPAR Ormonde and Ridgeway, Sasol Swartgoud, Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM) Region F, Community Development, social development and sport and recreation Departments, Pick n Pay in The Glen Shopping Centre, UJ Chiropractor Department, UJ Law Clinic, UJ Podiatry Department, SAPS Johannesburg district, Support Those in Need Together, Clicks and Twenty 21 Holdings. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
7 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
WATCH: Crown Gardens sips, sings and celebrates
Senior citizens at Crown Gardens Recreation Centre enjoyed International Tea Day with stakeholders, including the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), the private sector, higher education institutions, SAPS and locals on May 21. They were treated like kings and queens, with waiters on call. The day's presentation included many items. Speaker after speaker talked about ageing gracefully, empowerment in your later years, and watching out for scams. Activities for the day included health checks, legal advice, podiatry, chiropractic, social services, massages, fun games and entertainment. Welcoming the guests and outlining the purpose of the day, Carmen Winnaar from the CoJ said International Tea Day is observed annually on May 21, according to the United Nations. They adopted the resolution on December 21, 2019. Ward 54 Clr Marais Stuart said this day is special for the seniors. VIDEO 'This day is also in honour of the late Felicia, who wanted to do Tea Day with the residents of the south. In memory of her, we did this. Thank you to the team who put all this together. You must all have a lovely day and enjoy yourselves; there are cakes to indulge in,' he said. On the topic of CoJ's 'A City that Cares', Meshack Maluleke, regional manager of Social Development in Region F, emphasised that senior citizens are the best, and the city appreciates them. 'As a caring city, we will give you access to services. We will support you in your needs. Get healthy and exercise to live longer. We urge you to register for rebates. You paid tax for many years in your lives, now it is time for the city to give back,' he said. Maluleke also implored the young people to be volunteers at old-age homes. 'You must be friends with them to assist whenever they need help; be mindful of them,' he noted. Sponsors and partners of the day included Lee's Beauty Clinic, Lois du Plessis (singer and actress in House of Zwide), SPAR Ormonde and Ridgeway, Sasol Swartgoud, Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM) Region F, Community Development, social development and sport and recreation Departments, Pick n Pay in The Glen Shopping Centre, UJ Chiropractor Department, UJ Law Clinic, UJ Podiatry Department, SAPS Johannesburg district, Support Those in Need Together, Clicks and Twenty 21 Holdings. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Mint
24-05-2025
- General
- Mint
A tea lover's reflection on tradition and change
This week, I indulged in some R&R (rest and relaxation), giving in to the intense summer days here in Puducherry. The afternoon lulls you into a state of inertia, and mirroring the life outside, I too chose to retreat inwards. This week also saw the International Tea Day (celebrated on 21 May) with the theme being 'Tea for better lives". There's a lot of preoccupation with the sustainability of the tea industry, in particular its financial viability. But this, as I discovered last month, is not new. Also read: Like coffee, hold a tea festival too? I spent half a day at the UPASI (United Planters' Association of Southern India) library in Coonoor. UPASI was formed back in 1893 and remains an important planters' body. My sights were set on the collection of old planters' magazines. In 1895, a weekly magazine was started for planters by planters, called Planting Opinion. Later, it changed to The Planter's Chronicle and it continues to be published. Besides the occasional 'light reading" and verse, it packs a lot of information. As I read through some of the issues from its earliest years, it was quite apparent that the problems of planters have not really changed a century later. Back then too, they were grappling with some of the same concerns, of pest and disease, of enough labour, of markets. UPASI (1893-1953) published in 1955 notes 'a shadow of depression was spreading over the industry" with 'under consumption" described as a problem. One contributor says that both coffee and tea were in trouble from 1898, adding 'there is a familiar ring in many of the discussions, which, taken from their context, might have occurred in 1931 or 1952." Or 2025, as we may add. A century gone and much has changed and yet, nothing has. True of tea as it's of the world. Also read: A call to support Darjeeling's tea gardens I look at the assortment of tea in my cupboard—some Darjeeling black, a Kangra gunpowder green, chunks of a tea brick I have been hacking away at, some Taiwanese Dong Ding from my recent acquisition with a yet unopened Baozhong oolong, a Ceylon green tea, some black tea from Nuwara Eliya that I am rationing—I am reminded of an atlas of land and water forms I had read years ago. Entire continents were marked solely on the basis of their land forms, not political borders. It was beautiful. When I see the teas in my cupboard, it is a tad messy in how they are stacked, but it's without borders and is comfortably neighbourly. I catch myself wishing the world finds harmony despite its deep divides. I choose the Baozhong, once famous as the Formosa oolong, recently sourced from Hsu Hao Sheng, who goes by the name Sean, at Trilliant Tea (accepts orders online). It is by far one of the most aromatic teas I have enjoyed recently, with an incredibly sweet fragrance, like the scent of flowers that bloom at night. I steeped it for 6 minutes in boiling water. It's a lightly oxidised tea, as seen in the still green leaves. The tea itself is flavourful and sweet but with these oolongs, it's the after taste I have come to await. And the Baozhong brought such sweetness, it's one of my favourites this year and I recommend it as one to linger with on moody days. Tea Nanny is a fortnightly series on the world of tea. Aravinda Anantharaman is a tea drinker, writer and editor. She posts @AravindaAnanth1 on X. Also read: Getting to know the Dong Ding oolong
News24
23-05-2025
- General
- News24
Tea is the most popular drink in the world - beating out coffee and beer
Tea is the most popular drink in the world other than water. It beats out coffee and beer, which hold second and third place. May 21 is designated as International Tea Day by the United Nations, marking the significance and value of the drink globally, not just economically but culturally too. Tea plays a meaningful role in many societies. From Tibetan po cha to a good old English breakfast brew, tea is considered a unifying and hospitable beverage. While the exact origins of tea are unknown, it is believed to have originated in northeast India, northern Myanmar and southwest China, according to the UN. There is evidence that tea was consumed in China 5,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest beverages in the world. How to say tea around the world Across the globe, nearly all words for tea can be derived from the root words 'cha' or 'te'. In many parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the word for tea is derived from cha. In Mandarin: 茶 (chá) In Arabic: شاي (shāy) In Turkish: çay In Hindi: चाय (chāi) In Western Europe, many countries use some derivative of te. For example, 'tea' was introduced into the English language as a result of trade routes in the East. The word was taken from China, where it was pronounced 'te' in the Hokkien dialect. In English: tea In French: thé In Spanish: té In German: tee Who produces the most tea globally? The tea plant is usually grown in tropical and subtropical climates where its cultivation and processing support the livelihoods of millions of people. According to the latest data from the Tea and Coffee Trade Journal's Global Tea Report, China produces nearly half of the world's tea (48 percent). India is the second largest producer, accounting for 20 percent of world production, followed by Kenya (8 percent), Turkiye (4 percent) and Sri Lanka (3 percent). The rest of the world accounts for 17 percent of tea production globally. How much tea is consumed daily worldwide? According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), world tea consumption reached 6.5 million tonnes in 2022, growing from previous years. Consumption in China, the largest consumer of tea, reached 3 million tonnes in 2022, representing 46 percent of global consumption. India, the second largest consumer, accounted for a share of nearly 18 percent at 1.16 million tonnes in 2022, followed by Turkiye with 250,000 tonnes, Pakistan with 247,000 tonnes and Russia with 133,000 tonnes. According to the FAO, tea consumption expanded by 2 percent in 2022 compared with 2021 and further increased in 2023. However, tea consumption in countries in Europe and North America has been declining due to increasing competition from other beverages while for Russia, tea imports have been negatively impacted by the war in Ukraine. Rooibos tea. Five odd teas around the world To mark this year's International Tea Day, here are five somewhat unusual teas from around the world and how to make them: Butter tea (po cha) Found in: Tibet and other Himalayan regions What's odd?: It's in the name. Made with yak butter, black tea and salt, butter tea is broth-like. Apparently, there is a tradition where the host will refill your cup with butter tea until you refuse or until they stop filling it, signalling it's time for you to leave. Kombucha – is it tea? Found in: China, Japan and the Koreas What's odd?: Kombucha is considered a tea. It's a fermented tea made using a jelly-like SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). Kombucha fans often name their SCOBYs, treat them like pets and pass them to friends like family heirlooms. Butterfly pea flower tea Found in: Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam What's odd?: It is known as blue tea because of its colour, which then changes to purple when lemon juice is added. It's caffeine free and made from a concoction of floral petals from the blue pea flower. Baobab leaf tea Found in: sub-Saharan Africa What's odd?: Baobab leaf tea is traditionally used in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa as a mild herbal remedy and nutritional drink. Unlike most herbal teas, which are often floral or fruity, baobab leaf tea has a mildly earthy or even slightly bitter taste, a bit like spinach water. Guava leaf tea What's odd?: The tea is made from the leaves of the guava tree, which have an earthy flavour. In Philippine culture, it is said to have medicinal benefits for soothing stomach aches and bathing wounds.
