STORY: Hungary issues commemorative stamps for Chinese New Year
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 21, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 22, 2025
LENGTH: 00:02:20
LOCATION: Budapest
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the commemorative stamps
2. various of the performances
3. various of representatives delivering speeches
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (Hungarian): HU-YANG KAMILLA, Hungarian-Chinese graphic artist
5. various of signing on the first-day cover
6. SOUNDBITE 2 (Hungarian): GEZA LANG, Hungarian Deputy State Secretary for State Assets 
7. various of ribbon cutting
8. various of the exhibition

STORYLINE:

A commemorative sheet of postage stamps celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, was unveiled on Tuesday at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary.

The stamps were issued by the Hungarian Post in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, Hungary's Ministry for National Economy, and the China Cultural Center in Budapest.

The sheet, featuring four stamps designed by Hungarian-Chinese graphic artist Hu-Yang Kamilla, will be printed in a limited run of 20,000 copies.

The design incorporates a red-and-yellow color scheme with two intricately drawn red snakes on a yellow backdrop and another pair of yellow snakes on a red backdrop. The title "Year of the Snake - 2025" appears in both Chinese and Hungarian.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Hungarian): HU-YANG KAMILLA, Hungarian-Chinese graphic artist
"The wood snake, featured in my design, symbolizes wisdom and knowledge, while wood primarily represents growth. These were the essence I aimed to convey in the stamp."

Hungarian Deputy State Secretary for State Assets Geza Lang noted that Hungarian Post launched the Chinese zodiac stamp series in 2014. The Year of the Snake marks the 12th and final edition of the series.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Hungarian): GEZA LANG, Hungarian Deputy State Secretary for State Assets 
"The idea that Hungarian Post should maintain some form of Chinese thematic continuity is strongly supported by the well-established professional connections that have developed over the years."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Budapest.
(XHTV)