Chinese New Year themed decoration captured in the center of Moscow, Russia on January 28th. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Xueqi
Laotian people take photos at the New Year prayer check-in point set up at the “Happy Spring Festival” temple fair. Photo by Kanpasong
Students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania showcase a “blessing” poster gifted by Global People magazine. Photo provided by Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam
Students participating in the Djibouti Confucius Institute Spring Festival Gala took a group photo as a souvenir. Photo by Li Wenbiao
The Spring Festival is not only the most important festival of the Chinese nation, but also a common cultural heritage of all mankind. To celebrate the first Spring Festival after the successful application for World Heritage status, many countries have held various and exciting activities. People of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds draw New Year paintings, visit temple fairs, and watch performances, immersing themselves in Chinese culture. The Spring Festival culture has gone abroad, reached the world, and entered people’s hearts. The Spring Festival has become a happy time for people in many countries to celebrate and share together.
“Let more people feel the good friendship of the Chinese people”
As night falls, red lights hang high on Manesh Square in the center of Moscow, the capital of Russia. With the exuberant rhythm of gongs and drums, several charmingly naive “golden lions” leaped and froze, and there were endless applause, cheers, and laughter on the spot… This was a happy scene at the Chinese Spring Festival series celebrations in Moscow.
This year’s Spring Festival celebration in Moscow includes the operation of a Spring Festival themed subway train, the hosting of a Chinese culture exhibition at landmark buildings such as the Ostankino TV Tower, and a Spring Festival themed light show, which will last from January 28th to February 9th. Moscow Deputy Mayor Shchergunina said that during the Spring Festival, Moscow will hold more than 400 celebration activities to better promote mutual understanding, matchmaking, and traditional friendship between the Russian and Chinese people.
Appreciating the dazzling colorful lights, exploring the charm of intangible cultural heritage, appreciating traditional folk customs, and tasting Chinese cuisine… The Bolotena Square is brightly lit, with a crowded special booth and a fully booked Chinese cultural experience booth. Dipping the pen in ink and carefully tracing, the characters “fu” express people’s good wishes one by one.
We all enjoy sharing the happiness and beauty brought by the Spring Festival, “said Alexeina, a resident of Moscow, bringing her children to participate in the event. She and the children learned to weave Chinese knots, make lanterns, and paint the Year of the Snake zodiac. She showed off the snake shaped window decorations cut by the children while sending her blessings in Chinese: “Wishing everyone good luck in the Year of the Snake and continuous good luck
During the Spring Festival, Moscow Zoo holds lectures, interest classes, various park tours, and interactive games to celebrate with the theme of giant pandas. Giant pandas make the atmosphere of the Spring Festival in winter even more lively and festive, “said citizen Alivjina, bringing her daughter who has just started elementary school to visit. I hope that children can deepen their understanding of China and Chinese culture by watching giant pandas and participating in Spring Festival activities, and become inheritors of Russia China friendship in the future
Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui stated that this year’s Spring Festival series of celebration activities held in Moscow are larger in scale and richer in content, which will further enhance mutual understanding and promote people to people exchanges between the two countries. “The Spring Festival is of great significance in promoting the integration of world civilizations, and the celebration of the Spring Festival series will make more people feel the good feelings of the Chinese people,” said Zaharova, spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Build a bridge for the two peoples to deepen understanding and enhance friendship”
The weather in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, during the Chinese New Year is cool and sunny. Many Laotian people dress up in festive costumes to visit temple fairs at the Chinese Cultural Center in Laos, experience Chinese intangible cultural heritage, and taste Chinese cuisine.
The sound of gongs and drums, laughter, and applause intertwined, creating a joyful atmosphere within the Laos Chinese Cultural Center. The temple fair, full of Chinese cultural characteristics, attracted over a thousand local residents within two days. You can experience Xiaogan carved Paper Cuttings, Enshi Yulu production technology, Zhaoliqiao brick tea production technology, Daye embroidery, Ezhou dough sculpture, etc. from Hubei, China. Handmade crispy candies, sesame candies, dragon beard pastries, Hong Kong cakes and other snacks are exquisite and delicious, and the New Year’s dumplings are steaming hot, attracting a continuous stream of tasters.
The New Year’s Eve game experience area is crowded with people. Handmade lanterns, New Year painting rubbings, fun throwing pots, joyful rings… The audience who completed all the traditional Chinese New Year games happily received cultural and creative souvenirs, and the mascot “Lucky Snake” of the “Happy Spring Festival” became the most popular prize. The Laos Chinese Cultural Center has also set up three different New Year prayer check-in points, where everyone poses in cute and playful styles to take photos as a souvenir.
Artists from China performed wonderful and diverse programs. The erhu “Horse Racing” is highly passionate, the dance “Happy Chinese New Year” has gained countless fans, the magic “Magical Hand Color” and “Fish Every Year” have clever techniques, are humorous and witty, and there are constant cheers on site.
Chinese Ambassador to Laos Fang Hong stated that the Spring Festival embodies the value pursuit of Chinese civilization for peace, harmony, and harmony. Chinese culture is widely popular in Laos, blending and developing together with local culture. Wan Xi, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Journalism, Culture and Tourism of Laos, said that the Spring Festival celebrations “build a bridge for deepening understanding and enhancing friendship between the two peoples”.
The Spring Festival allows us to experience the profoundness and profundity of Chinese culture
Hanging up big red lanterns and putting up festive “fu” stickers… Recently, the 2025 Spring Festival Gala hosted by the Confucius Institute in Djibouti was held at the Djibouti International Exhibition Center. More than 200 guests, teachers, students, and parents gathered together to celebrate the New Year in a joyful and peaceful atmosphere.
The Spring Festival originated in China, but also belongs to Djibouti and the world, “said Mustafa, the Minister of National Education and Vocational Training of Djibouti, who attended the event.” Celebrating the Spring Festival has become an important event in Djibouti. The Spring Festival allows us to feel the profoundness of Chinese culture and has become an important opportunity to deepen friendship and promote unity
The majestic lion dance kicked off the artistic performance and won warm applause. Gabode high school students sing the song ‘Friends’ in Chinese, French, Arabic, Somali, and Afar languages; The dance performance of the Balabala High School student performance team, “Spring Breeze Ten Miles News New Year,” is full of vitality; The songs performed by students at the Confucius Institute teaching site in Djibouti have a lively and lively rhythm. By participating in the Spring Festival Gala, we celebrate the Spring Festival together and experience the colorful Chinese culture up close, “said Ramis, a high school student from Djibouti.
Taking photos, learning Chinese calligraphy, and weaving Chinese knots… In the interactive segment, teachers from Confucius Institutes organize a variety of activities to send New Year’s greetings to guests, teachers, and students. Nasta, from the Luban Workshop in Djibouti, said that activities such as making dumplings and writing Spring Festival couplets have made her fall in love with the Spring Festival. “I heard that Chinese friends will also observe the New Year on New Year’s Eve, and I really want to experience it in China!” Zou Yanwu, the Chinese director of the Djibouti Confucius Institute, introduced that this is the third year that the Djibouti Confucius Institute has held Spring Festival celebrations, and more and more local people hope to learn about Chinese culture through interactive experiences.
At a time when both China and Djibouti proudly inherit excellent traditional culture, the Spring Festival Gala has become a gathering to look forward to a better future, “said Hu Bin, Chinese Ambassador to Djibouti.
The Spring Festival is a bond that connects the emotions of the two peoples
The Spring Festival Temple Fair, jointly hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Argentina and the Buenos Aires Municipal Government, featuring lanterns, colorful decorations, phoenix dances, and dragon dances, has recently opened in the National Park of the Argentine capital.
The Argentine Spring Festival Temple Fair was first held in 2005 and has been held for 20 sessions this year. It has become the largest Spring Festival temple fair in South America, attracting more than 100000 people every year. Spring Festival has become a festival that local people look forward to, “said Chen Jing, Chairman of Argentina Golden Phoenix International Cultural Media Company, the organizer of the Spring Festival Temple Fair.
At the entrance of the Spring Festival temple fair, there was a long queue of up to half a kilometer, with many young people dressed in Hanfu and Tang costumes, and wearing Chinese makeup. Local traders have set up dozens of stalls, including Spring Festival ornaments, Chinese food, calligraphy and painting, tea ceremony and tea sets, acupuncture and moxibustion and massage. Mariana, who just bought a Chinese fan, looked excited and said, “I have learned a little Chinese and can write my own name. I am a sheep, and in two years it will be my zodiac year. The Spring Festival is the bond that connects the emotions of the people of both countries
Artists from China and Arab countries performed a variety of colorful programs such as singing, martial arts, traditional Chinese music, and dance. The local people waved and interacted, creating a lively atmosphere. My partner and I both love Chinese culture very much and are planning to visit China, “Argentine audience member Ruben told reporters.
Chinese Ambassador to Argentina Wang Wei stated that more and more Argentine people enjoy the Spring Festival and embrace Chinese culture. The Spring Festival celebration has become a vivid manifestation of the harmonious coexistence and cultural exchange between the two countries. (Reporters Yu Hongjian, Xiao Xinxin, Sui Xin, Sun Guangyong, Zhang Zhiwen, Xu Fang, and Gao Suhong participated in the writing)