Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

Cultural activities held in foreign countries in run-up to China's Spring Festival

China

China

China

Cultural activities held in foreign countries in run-up to China's Spring Festival

2025-01-22 22:06 Last Updated At:22:57

A series of festival events, including Chinese New Year Fairs, Spring Festival receptions, and a promotional showcase of the Spring Festival Gala produced by China Media Group (CMG), were held in some foreign countries recently in the run-up to the much-anticipated traditional Chinese Spring Festival.

On Sunday, a second Chinese New Year Fair was held in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, attracting thousands of visitors. Compared with that of last year, this year's event is larger, with a 20 percent increase in the number of exhibitors.

At the fair, a variety of traditional cultural elements were introduced to local residents and overseas Chinese in Kenya, including woodblock printing, dough figurines, Chinese cuisine, martial arts, and traditional song and dance performances.

During the event, the promotional video for CMG's 2025 Spring Festival Gala was played, drawing widespread attention.

"We have seen many entertainments and exhibitions. Very happy to be here today to create that cultural diplomacy and relations between Kenya and also China. We are trying to walk around how we can have cooperations between ourselves so that we prosper together as friends. I would like to wish you a prosperous and a Happy New Year from Kenya to you," said Ummi Bashir, principal secretary of the State Department for Culture and Heritage under the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage in the Republic of Kenya.

In Bogota, the Chinese embassy in Colombia hosted a reception on Monday, marking the upcoming Spring Festival and also the 45th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Colombia.

The reception was attended by more than 400 guests, including Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia Martha Carvajalino and other Colombian political dignitaries, diplomatic envoys to Colombia, and representatives of Chinese enterprises and academia in Colombia.

The reception featured a variety of activities, including exhibitions of intangible cultural heritage crafts, calligraphy writing, and captivating performances like singing, dancing, and acrobatics, delivered by an art troupe from east China's Zhejiang Province.

Additionally, the promotional video for the CMG's Spring Festival Gala was unveiled, drawing guests to watch and capture the moment with photos.

The promotional video was also played Sunday on Egypt's Iconic Tower, renowned as the tallest building in Africa, which is situated in the Central Business District (CBD) of Egypt's new administrative capital, east of Cairo.

On the same evening, a light show co-hosted by the Chinese embassy in Egypt and the Xi'an Municipal Government in northwest China's Shaanxi Province was also unveiled in the CBD, attracting a large number of overseas Chinese and locals to see and capture the memorable moments.

On Friday local time, the promotional video for the gala was screened at a cinema in London, marking the first time such a program has been featured in a UK cinema.

The screening brought the joyful and festive atmosphere of the Chinese Lunar New Year to local audiences, who also received heartfelt greetings from China through the big screen.

In recent months, China-UK relations have seen new progress, with both countries exploring the resumption of dialogue and cooperation in areas such as education, technological innovation, energy and climate change.

As one of the most significant traditional festivals in China, the Spring Festival provides an opportunity to deepen mutual understanding between the people of China and the UK, fostering closer ties and driving the development of bilateral relations.

The Spring Festival, marking the start of a new year on the lunar calendar, is China's grandest traditional festival when people return to their hometowns for Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations and family reunion. This year, it falls on Jan 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake.

The festival is now recognized in many parts of the world, with nearly one-fifth of the world's population celebrating it in various ways.

Cultural activities held in foreign countries in run-up to China's Spring Festival

Cultural activities held in foreign countries in run-up to China's Spring Festival

Next Article

Women, children face dire struggles amid ongoing Sudan armed conflict

2025-02-09 17:43 Last Updated At:19:47

The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered a humanitarian crisis, leaving millions in Sudan, especially women and children, struggling with food insecurity, displacement, and violence.

The armed conflict that erupted in Sudan in mid-April 2023 has been ongoing for nearly two years, creating a severe humanitarian disaster in the country. A recent report released by the United Nations indicates that by 2025, more than 15 million women in Sudan will require humanitarian assistance.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)'s report -- "Sudan: Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 - Overview" -- highlights that Sudanese women and children are disproportionately affected by the conflict, facing more acute challenges such as food shortages, survival crises, and the risk of gender-based violence.

The report reveals that approximately 24.6 million people in Sudan are in a state of "severe food insecurity" or worse, with women and children being particularly vulnerable. They face greater difficulties in accessing food, drinking water, healthcare, and ensuring their personal safety.

"Life is so hard. We don't have clean drinking water, and the water supply in grocery stores has also been cut off. We are short of food and water, and we are in despair. The prices of everything are continuously rising," said Sakina Ahmed, a resident.

Due to the severe damage and shortages in healthcare facilities, the situation for pregnant women and newborns in Sudan is dire. According to data from Sudan's Ministry of Health, 295 out of every 100,000 pregnant women die, and 51 out of every 1,000 newborns die.

Additionally, Sudan's education system has been severely disrupted by the conflict. Over 10,000 schools have been closed as a result of the fighting, and more than 90 percent of the 19 million school-age children are unable to access formal education, with girls being particularly affected by school dropouts, the report said.

"I was an eighth-grade student, but because of the conflict, I've been out of school for one year and four months," said Asrar Essam.

According to a statement by the UN resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, the armed conflict, along with the resulting mass displacement of people and widespread food insecurity, has led to a significant increase in gender-based violence, including sexual assaults.

The UN has called on Sudan to establish non-violent response mechanisms and strengthen accountability systems to safeguard the safety and dignity of all vulnerable groups. Most importantly, the UN has emphasized the urgent need to end the armed conflict and restore peace and stability.

Women, children face dire struggles amid ongoing Sudan armed conflict

Women, children face dire struggles amid ongoing Sudan armed conflict

Recommended Articles