STORY: UN, Chinese embassy in Kenya hold Spring Festival gala
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 31, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 1, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:03
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST: 
1. various of Zainab Hawa Bangura and Zhou Pingjian
2. SOUNDBITE (English): ZAINAB HAWA BANGURA, Director-general of the United Nations Office in Nairobi
3. various of Zhou Pingjian
4. various of activity

STORYLINE:

The United Nations and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya hosted a prelude to the Chinese New Year gala in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital on Wednesday.
   
Co-hosted by the United Nations Office in Nairobi, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya and the China Media Group, the event was attended by senior UN officials, diplomats and scholars.
  
For the first time, the Chinese New Year will be recognized as part of the UN holiday calendar, said Zainab Hawa Bangura, director-general of the United Nations Office in Nairobi. She expressed her hope that the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, would bring peace, joy, good health and prosperity to humanity.
  
SOUNDBITE (English): ZAINAB HAWA BANGURA, Director-general of the United Nations Office in Nairobi
"My message on behalf of the United Nations family in Kenya is to say that may this Lunar Year of the Dragon bring peace, joy, good health, and prosperity to all."

Zhou Pingjian, the Chinese ambassador to Kenya, said that the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival that falls on Feb. 10 this year, is one of the oldest traditional festivals in Chinese culture.

"It has been celebrated for more than 4,000 years by the Chinese nation. With the Spring Festival approaching, people get busy preparing traditional food and decorations for the festival," Zhou said.

The Spring Festival symbolizes joy, unity and prosperity, besides embodying the core values of harmony, love and peace in Chinese culture, he said, noting that the festival presents an opportunity to understand China and its people, as well as the Asian nation's economic vibrancy.
   
In December 2023, the 78th session of the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution officially listing the Chinese New Year, as a UN holiday in its calendar of conferences and meetings, starting from 2024. 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)