Arts Council of NI attends cultural Tea Art ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in Belfast
22nd May, 2026
The Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon is a global Chinese cultural exchange event and it was held in Northern Ireland for the first time at the Chinese Consulate General in south Belfast. It marked International Tea Day and included exhibitions on Chinese tea culture, tea art displays, and tastings of Anhui Teas.
Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland attended the event along with Anhui Agricultural University and Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.
The Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon, named after China’s traditional tea-processing techniques and associated social practices, has become an important public platform for dialogue between Chinese representatives and international states, for promoting mutual understanding.
Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented on the event:
“The practice of greeting guests and building relationships within families, friendship networks and neighbours through tea-related activities is common across many cultures, including our own.
“Attending the Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon at the Chinese Consulate General Belfast was a great pleasure. I can now appreciate the depth of China’s traditional tea techniques and social practices, so deeply woven into daily life, with mindful ritual, and an emphasis on balance, respect and tranquillity.”