The lion dance was one of the highlights of the three-day Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festival, which was opened by Kenyan President William Ruto in Lodwar town on Thursday.

International and local visitors gathered at the Ekalees Cultural Center to celebrate Turkana culture and heritage. Apart from Turkana culture, a pavilion featuring Chinese culture attracted several visitors. When Ruto made a stop at the Chinese pavilion, students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi performed the lion dance.

For students from Turkana University College, a Wednesday cultural event was the first time that many of them watched Chinese cultural performances. They watched as the Confucius Institute students performed the lion dance and sang Chinese songs. They were also treated to a screening of a Chinese movie, which led many of them to express their desire to learn the Chinese language and culture.