Actors perform the lion dance during the Lunar New Year celebration at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Jan. 24, 2025.

The Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations hosted a Lunar New Year celebration on Friday night at the UN headquarters in New York. Over 400 guests, including senior UN officials and representatives of more than 100 countries, attended. (Photo by Winston Zhou/Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations hosted a Lunar New Year celebration on Friday night at the UN headquarters in New York. Over 400 guests, including senior UN officials and representatives of more than 100 countries, attended.

Miguel Angel Moratinos, UN under-secretary-general and high representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, delivered Lunar New Year wishes in Chinese, "Chunjie Kuaile (Happy Spring Festival)," in the lobby of the main building at UN headquarters.

"The Lunar New Year marked the beginning of the Year of the Snake, which is associated with characteristics like wisdom, caution and strategy, and signifies transformation and growth," he said.

"With the numerous challenges the world is facing, the spirit embodied by the Lunar New Year offers us a beacon of hope and positivity," Moratinos said.

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, shared his best wishes for peace, prosperity and harmony for the upcoming New Year.

Fu said the festival has transcended borders and become a global celebration enjoyed by different communities around the world.

In 2023, the Lunar New Year officially joined the UN holiday calendar, becoming a floating holiday.

The Spring Festival, marking the start of the Lunar New Year, was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.

Fu noted that as people mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations this year and come to a crossroads for the future of global governance, China remains committed to working with the international community to ensure a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious future for all.

The celebration featured an exciting lion dance, drumming, and guqin performances. A team from the Prince Kung's Palace Museum of Beijing showcased a series of interactive exhibitions of Chinese folk art, including calligraphy, knotting, paper-cutting, lacquered fans and herbal sachet.

The celebration culminated with the lion-awakening ceremony, where Fu and Moratinos together dotted the lion's eyes with paint. ■