On December 22, 2023, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution establishing the Chinese Lunar New Year as a United Nations holiday. The Spring Festival goes global and the world embraces it. Many countries and regions have adopted the Spring Festival as an official holiday, and about one-fifth of the global population celebrates the Spring Festival in different forms.
Writing Spring Festival couplets, sticking window decorations, hanging lanterns and visiting temple fairs...... People from all over the world experience the Spring Festival together. The scroll of exchanges and mutual understanding among different civilizations is slowly unfolding with the Spring Festival as a carrier.
Come closer to the Spring Festival and experience the festive atmosphere.
At the end of last year, the United Nations adopted a resolution making the Chinese Lunar New Year a United Nations holiday. On the occasion of the Chinese New Year, United Nations related organizations around the world have organized various festivities. On the platform of the United Nations, more people come closer to the Spring Festival and experience the festive atmosphere.
In January 2024, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year in New York with the issuance of the Dragon Stamp Sheet, a special edition of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
On January 31, the Permanent Mission of China in Vienna and the Chinese Association of the United Nations in Vienna jointly organized a Chinese New Year reception. In the Mozart Hall of the Vienna International Center, red lanterns, Chinese knots, paper-cut "Fu" characters and other Chinese-style decorations conveyed the rich flavor of the Chinese New Year. The joyful Spring Festival Overture, the melodious Jasmine Flower, Peking Opera performances, Dunhuang dance performances and other colorful cultural performances won the applause from the audience. Wali, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, sent New Year greetings and best wishes to the Chinese people, saying that China's inspiring story of development has brought positive energy to the world.
Rome, Italy, Feb. 2, at the Spring Festival reception held by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), performances such as Tai Chi, tea ceremony and paper-cutting showed Chinese characteristics, and traditional specialties made everyone experience the taste of Spring Festival. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said the reception was organized not only to respond positively to the resolution to establish the Spring Festival as a United Nations holiday, but also to take the opportunity to showcase traditional Chinese culture to member countries.
The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Moratinos, said that the world is currently facing an unprecedented crisis and that we need the spirit of the Spring Festival and the valuable qualities of strength, courage and wisdom represented by the dragon. He thanked China and the Chinese people for their important contribution to the cause of the United Nations.
"Let more people to know Chinese culture."
"When drawing a Peking Opera face, each color has a different meaning. Red represents bravery and loyalty, black symbolizes integrity and selflessness, and purple means calm and upright ......" Listening to the staff's introduction, the South African girl, Kanita, picked up a blank mask, dipped the brush in the purple pigment, and lifted the brush to draw a smooth line on the eye of the mask.
On January 29, the Chinese Embassy in South Africa held the 2024 "Happy Spring Festival" in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. At the "Cultural Bazaar", booths featuring Peking Opera face painting, Shaolin Kung Fu, calligraphy and paper-cutting, and ethnic costumes attracted a large number of visitors. Participating in such an event for the first time, Kanita was very excited. "I've never learned about Peking Opera before, I didn't expect it to be so interesting. I must go to China to experience it for myself when I have the chance!"
With the sound of "hey" and "ha", the audience at the Shaolin Kung Fu booth let out a burst of applause. Performers dressed in the costumes of martial arts monks showed the style of Chinese kung fu in their moves, and Bandile, a student of the University of Johannesburg, watched with great concentration. "I've loved Chinese kung fu since I was a kid and I've seen so many movies of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan." Bandile followed the performer's example and did some moves, he told the reporter that he will soon go to China to study in September this year, "I will then learn kung fu in my spare time."
"Dragon" "Fu" "Spring" ...... At the calligraphy paper-cutting booth, pieces of calligraphy conveys the festive atmosphere. Local resident Ramol picked up a "Fu" character and asked the staff about its meaning. The company Ramol works for has frequent business contacts with China, and he has visited China twice. He said, "Chinese culture is profound and Chinese people have a strong sense of cultural identity. I hope more activities like this will be organized to let more people understand Chinese culture."
"Convey the joy of the festival."
On the morning of February 2, at the Pangpong LRT station in the center of Bangkok, Thailand, the "China-Thailand Spring Festival Dragon Blessing" activity, co-sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS), was formally kicked off.
The platform of the LRT station was crowded with people, and the spectacular dragon and lion dances won applauds from audiences. Inside the station, the LCD screen scrolling 2024 "Happy Chinese New Year" mascot dragon dynamic visual and "Hello, China!" animated video, attracting many passengers to stop and enjoy. Mr. Han Zhiqiang, Chinese Ambassador in Thailand, Mr. Sutarwan, Minister of Tourism and Sports, and other guests sent their best wishes for the Lunar New Year and joined the passengers to take the LRT to Ekamai Station. During the journey, the guests presented lucky dragon figures to the passengers and the car was filled with laughter and cheers.
Aspano, a visitor from Spain, watched a dragon and lion dance performance to experience the Spring Festival up close. He said, "Such activities convey the joy of the festival and show respect for multiculturalism."
"Exciting events to look forward to."
Appreciate Chinese New Year paintings, guess riddles, learn paper-cutting ...... On February 3, the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris was decorated with joyful atmosphere, and the activity of "Entering the Center to celebrate the Chinese New Year" was kicked off. A large number of Chinese culture enthusiasts attended the event in full costume, some dressed in Hanfu and some in Tang suits, which conveyed the importance they attached to the Spring Festival.
Luo Nei, who has retired, is a veteran trainee of the cultural center, and he never misses the Chinese New Year activities held here every year, "To say that this year's special feature should be the trainees' performances of traditional musical instruments. The trainees played erhu, guzheng, and hulusi, winning a full house of applauds."
This year is the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China and the Sino-French Year of Culture and Tourism, the Spring Festival celebrations have strong cultural characteristics, send an unforgettable gift for the Lunar New Year to the French people: Eiffel Tower Theatre held the "sound of the Guqin elegant rhyme" New Year's Day Concert, the Guqin performance and recitation of poems made the French people immerse themselves in the elegance of the Chinese traditional arts, the Cultural Center held the "Tea for the Harmonious World" event, where French people tasted tea, watched Tai Chi performances, and appreciated performances of non-heritage projects such as paper-cutting, dough figurine, Beijing embroidery, etc.; "Yuyuan Lantern Festival" went out of the country for the first time, and was lighted up in the Parisian Garden, bringing an oriental aesthetics show to the local people; "Silk Road Porcelain Line" special exhibition of Chinese Jingdezhen ceramic culture, a piece of ceramic masterpieces told of the inheritance, innovation and fusion of China's "Porcelain Capital" in the past thousands of years.
"For French people who love Chinese culture, this year's exciting event is worthy looking forward to." Ronay said.
"Elegant culture is a prominent feature of this year's Spring Festival activities and one of the themes for future activities carried out by the center." Liu Hongge, director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris, said that elegant culture embodies the spiritual pursuit and aesthetic taste of the Chinese nation. The cultural center should not only spread the excellent Chinese culture, but also show China's national image.
"I want to go to China when I grow up."
Lanterns were hung all over the Jeddah Institute of Chinese Language Education at the Palace of Wisdom in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, where some young Chinese language enthusiasts were experiencing the Chinese New Year. After watching a video of a dragon and lion dance performance, the children picked up colored pencils and traced patterns of dragons and lanterns.
Byrd, 11, carefully drew the outline of the dragon. I know the signs of the zodiac, and the dragon represents strength and good luck in Chinese culture," he said. Ally, who is learning to write the Chinese character for "blessing," said, "My grandfather and father have been to China and said the scenery is very beautiful there, so I want to go to China when I grow up."
What are the customs of Chinese New Year? Upon hearing the teacher's question, the children were eager to answer: "Dumplings are made for Chinese New Year," "The whole family takes pictures together for Chinese New Year," and "Children receive red envelopes." ......
Abila, assistant director of the Chinese Language Education Institute at the Palace of Wisdom, said the Chinese language has been incorporated into the Saudi national education system, and the "Chinese language fever" continues to heat up in Saudi Arabia. The children studying Chinese at Jeddah College range in age from 4 to 12 years old, and they have classes three times a week. The purpose of organizing the Spring Festival themed activities is to give the children a better and more intuitive understanding of China.
"I hope to have more opportunities to experience the Spring Festival."
Wu Opera classic repertoire Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers, Three Times Beatings White Bone Demon, folk dance Nine Sections of Dragon, suona solo Beat Jujubes, Huihu solo Hui Tune and so on were staged on the eve of the Spring Festival in the City Concert Hall of Serbia's second largest city of Novi Sad, with more than 500 Chinese and Serbian audiences enjoying the Zhejiang Wu Opera special performance with the theme of "Joyful Spring Festival" together. The wonderful performances of the artists of Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute were accompanied by Serbian subtitles, letting the audience taste the charm of Chinese opera art and feel the strong atmosphere of the Spring Festival at the same time.
Local audience Teodora Bankovic is the first time watching Wu Opera, but he doesn't feel unfamiliar with the art form. "The actors' singing and movements have an oriental flavor as well as much in common with Western operas. The plot content of these plays is very interesting and helps me understand China's traditional culture." Bankovic said that in recent years, there have been more and more Chinese elements in Novi Sad, "The Novi Sad-Belgrade railroad was built by a Chinese company, and the company I work for also has trade relations with Chinese companies. This is my first time to participate in the 'Happy Chinese New Year' event, and I hope to have more opportunities to experience the Spring Festival."