Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Tehran in Iran have hosted special cultural events to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, which this year falls on Jan 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake.
The Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai was the venue for the 11th United Arab Emirates (UAE) Chinese New Year Gala, titled "Years As Songs," on Saturday, the first gala of its kind in the UAE since Chinese New Year was officially added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
During the performance, which lasted more than three hours, over 1,000 actors and artists from around the world blended Chinese traditional culture with modern art in poetry, dance and traditional music performances, showcasing the overseas Chinese community's patriotism and aspirations for a better life.
During the event, China Media Group (CMG) unveiled its promotional video for the 2025 Spring Festival Gala, one of the world's most watched television productions, which is a key part of Chinese New Year celebrations around the world.
"Every eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, we will stay up late in the UAE waiting for the broadcast of our CMG's Spring Festival Gala. This is an essential feast for us. The Chinese Lunar New Year's successful inclusion on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage has raised our expectations for the Spring Festival Gala, which is like 'Chinese New Year's Eve dinner' for us. We look forward to our CMG hosting a brilliant Spring Festival Gala in the upcoming Year of the Snake, getting better and better," said Huang Wei, a Chinese citizen living in the UAE.
The Chinese Embassy in Iran also hosted a Spring Festival reception recently, with over 100 local Chinese, employees of Chinese-funded institutions, and others in attendance.
Chinese Ambassador to Iran Cong Peiwu said that the Lunar New Year embodies the hopes of the Chinese people for a better life, symbolizes their patriotism, reflects the shared values of harmony between humans and nature, and has become a Chinese cultural symbol universally recognized and appreciated by the world.
"The successful inclusion of the Spring Festival on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage is a practical action by China to implement the Global Civilization Initiative and promote the exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. This will strengthen harmonious coexistence among diverse cultures, enhance mutual understanding and affection among people of various countries, and build bridges for exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. It will contribute more cultural strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind," said Cong.
Chinese New Year was officially inscribed on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list on December 4 last year, underscoring the global significance of the traditional festival. The recognition not only elevates the international profile of Chinese culture but also provides an opportunity for people worldwide to engage with and celebrate the festival's rich traditions.
Dubai, Tehran host cultural activities to welcome China's upcoming Spring Festival
The three astronauts of China's recently-returned Shenzhou-20 mission on Friday shared the experiences of their dramatic 204-day space mission, including detailing the emergency procedures which were implemented to bring them safely home after their return capsule was struck by space debris.
The trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie -- met with the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November.
When detailing the emergency response mechanisms which were enacted prior to their scheduled return, the astronauts explained that upon discovering a triangular crack on the spacecraft's viewport window, they immediately took photos for documentation and transmitted them to the ground team, who swiftly activated an emergency plan to get the trio home safely.
Experienced mission commander Chen Dong explained how the crew had complete faith in their colleagues on the ground to find a solution to these unforeseen circumstances which led to their return being delayed.
"First, we must trust the ground team, who would anticipate everything and develop the safest return plan for us. Second, we must believe in ourselves; as well-trained astronauts, we have the ability to manage various unexpected failures. I believe that with the collaboration of astronauts and researchers on the ground, our space home will surely go farther, more steadily, and for a longer time," he said.
Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.
During their mission, they completed multiple payload operations, conducted extensive scientific experiments, and carried out four extravehicular activities.
"Our crew worked together with the ground team in unity and coordination, completing four extravehicular activities, several payload entry and exit tasks, and a large number of scientific experiments. It was a fulfilling yet challenging mission. The path to exploring the heavens is long and arduous, but I firmly believe that China's space missions will succeed," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who was making his first spaceflight during the mission.
"From the ground to space, from learning to application, I have deeply felt the solid progress of Chinese space endeavors and the quiet dedication of countless personnel behind the scenes. In the future, I will accomplish each mission with full commitment, living up to the trust of the motherland and the people," said fellow astronaut Wang Jie, who was also making his debut spaceflight.
After returning to Earth on Nov 14, the trio successfully completed their isolation recovery and rehabilitation and will now resume normal training following health assessments.
The crew's return, originally scheduled for Nov 5, was postponed due to safety concerns, with the astronauts later using the return capsule belonging to their successor crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission to get back to Earth. China later launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft which will serve the future return of the crew now aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experiences after safely returning from debris incident
