NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 12 – Kenyans were last Saturday treated to an entertaining celebration by the Chinese community in the country during the celebration to mark the beginning of the New Year which fell on Saturday, February 10th 2024.
The Chinese New Year is based on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar with each year associated with one of twelve animals like a dragon, horse, rabbit, or snake among others.
The characteristics of these animals are believed to influence the traits of people born in that year.
The celebration was marked for first time in Kenya at the Two River Mall in Nairobi
“This marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon which is celebrated in over 20 countries around the world. It’s going to be an annual event” remarked Gao Wei Chairman, Kenya Overseas Chinese Association
“It’s a lucky year and full of strings. It will bring our people together and strengthen cooperations and we believe everybody will be lucky” added Wei.
The Chinese community used the event to share the joyful and peaceful Lunar New Year (also called “Spring Festival”) culture with the local Kenyan people and international tourists through art performances and exhibitions, food tasting and other activities.
Dr Henry Rotich, Chairman Kenya China Alumnus Association, an organization representing Kenyans who studied in China, says the country has a lot learn from the Asian economic powerhouse, in terms of culture.
“Chinese are very strong in preserving their culture. Kenyans can learn from them on how to preserve our culture and celebrate it whenever we are, in and out of the country,” added Rotich.
Lunar New Year is the most important traditional festival for Chinese people around the world and an important carrier of Chinese culture.
It contains concepts such as unity between nature and mankind, renewal of all things, joy, harmony, dialogue, and sharing. It is a festival of nature, family, soul, and belongs to the world. It embodies the core values of harmony, love and peace in Chinese culture, and symbolizes the Chinese people’s love for the family, the nation and as well as the world.
On December 22, 2023, the 78th United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution to list the Lunar New Year as a UN floating holiday.
