A host of activities are planned across the city to welcome the Year of the Horse
We’re just days away from the start of Chinese New Year marking the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, last seen in 1966.
This vibrant festival, celebrated globally, focuses on family reunions, cultural heritage, and the promise of a prosperous year ahead.
Chinese New Year is also known as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival and officially begins on Tuesday, February 17. But the celebrations for Chinese New Year can last for up to a month and were originally a time to honour past ancestors.
READ MORE: ‘I moved to Northern Ireland two years ago and now I’m climbing to the top with a McDonald’s apprenticeship’READ MORE: ‘I have been living in Belfast for 9 years – I hope new sustainable shop gives back to the city’
Li Nan, Counsel General of the People’s Republic of China in Belfast, spoke to Belfast Live about what this time of year means and how it’s being celebrated locally this year.
“At this auspicious time on behalf of the Chinese Consulate General here in Belfast, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our most sincere and best wishes to you all,” he said.
“The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival in China, and it has a history of more than 2000 years so for hundreds of years, each year, the Spring Festival is being celebrated by hundreds of millions of Chinese, both inside and outside of China.
“As the Spring Festival is not only a joyful moment for family reunion, love and affection, but also a great time to pray for peace, harmony, happiness, good health, and good luck.”
In 2024, the Spring Festival was added to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, meaning it now belongs to the whole world.
Consul General Li added: “Nowadays, more than 20 countries have endorsed the Spring Festival as their public holiday or by holding public activities to celebrate this great event.
“In the UK, for example, in London, Manchester, in the big cities and some other parts, each year, the local governments also render their kind support to the Spring Festival celebrations through various events and activities.
“In Northern Ireland, especially in Belfast and other parts of the region as well, the local Chinese community has been organising a series of celebrating activities during this time of the year, which help enrich the local cultural diversity and highlight the inclusiveness of the local community.”
The upcoming events include on February 16 when the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Belfast will be hosting their annual gala dinner to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
On February 22, the Chinese New Year celebration is back again at the Ulster Hall with two performances rich in colours and culture with over 10 global dances and music at 1:30pm and 5pm. More details here.
The Chinese Associations in Queen’s University and Ulster University will also be hosting events.
Queen’s University’s celebration programme warmly invites students and staff, as well as civic partners and societies, to take part in a vibrant range of cultural activities across campus.
The programme will officially launch this Friday, February 13 at 12 noon at One Elmwood Cube, followed by a Dragon Parade and Cultural Fair taking place throughout the afternoon in the One Elmwood Foyer and Cube areas. All are very welcome to join the celebrations.
Belfast City Council will also light up the City Hall building in China red on February 16 for the 10th consecutive year.
You can also experience the magic of Lunar New Year at Titanic Belfast through colour, culture and storytelling. You’ll also have the chance to discover the stories of the eight Chinese men who sailed on RMS Titanic, offering a fascinating glimpse into a lesser-known part of the ship’s global story. More details here.
“For all these mentioned above, I do appreciate very, very much because all these kind gestures represent the goodwill and true friendship accredited to the local Chinese community as a whole,” Consul General Li added.
“I would like to wish everybody a very peaceful, happy, prosperous, and very successful New Year of the Horse. Happy Spring Festival. Happy Chinese New Year.”
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
