Traditional folk dances from home and abroad bring rhythm, passion to main stage of Spring Festival Gala

A rich tapestry of traditional dances drawn from diverse cultures brought some rhythmic artistry to the main stage of the China Media Group (CMG)'s Spring Festival Gala in Beijing on Monday.

The dazzling dance display included the Hani ethnic group's wooden clog dance and the Lisu ethnic group's foot-stomping Achi Mugua dance from China, as well as Spanish flamenco and Hungarian folk dances, highlighting the broad appeal of global dance traditions.

Blending multiple folk styles, the energetic medley performance unfolded as a vivid multicultural spectacle, alive with color, rhythm and shared expression.

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese people, and watching the Spring Festival Gala, also known as "Chunwan," is a cherished part of the celebrations every year in hundreds of millions of Chinese homes.

Since first being broadcast in 1983, the gala has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.

The Spring Festival itself was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.

The 2026 Spring Festival falls on Tuesday this year, ushering in the Year of the Horse.

Traditional folk dances from home and abroad bring rhythm, passion to main stage of Spring Festival Gala

Traditional folk dances from home and abroad bring rhythm, passion to main stage of Spring Festival Gala

With China assuming the rotating presidency on Friday, the United Nations Security Council will focus its work in May on revitalizing the authority of the UN Charter and the role of the United Nations, while advancing the political settlement of the Middle East issue, and promoting the stability and development of African countries.

Briefing reporters on the Security Council's priorities for May, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations and president of the Security Council for May, made the statement on Friday.

In recent years, the world has been witnessing growing turbulence in the international landscape, with conflicts increasing, divisions widening, and the multilateral system, along with international law, under considerable strain, he said, urging the international community to take urgent actions to uphold the authority of the UN Charter and strengthen the role of the United Nations to prevent the world from "relapsing into the jungle" and "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war".

In this context, Fu said, the Security Council will convene a high-level open debate in May under the theme of upholding the purposes and the principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.

Security Council to focus on UN's role, Middle East, Africa in May: Chinese envoy