DUT Confucius Institute co-hosted “2016 Durban Chinese New Year of Monkey Gala”

Submitted by dut on

DUT Confucius Institute co-hosted

“2016 Durban Chinese New Year of Monkey Gala”

 

       The Chinese New Year, also known as the Chinese Spring Festival, usually in January or February every year, is the most important and traditional festival in China. It is also a great event for overseas Chinese globally to celebrate the coming lunar Chinese new year and pray for good luck and prosperity. In Chinese Lunar calendar, the year 2016 is a “ Year of Monkey”,  which is believed to bring extra happiness, great optimism and a fruitful career.

The festive Gala of the Year of Monkey

       To observe this joyful festive season in the southern hemisphere country South Africa is obviously a distinctive and different experience. An auspicious gathering “2016 Durban Chinese New Year of Monkey Gala” to celebrate the Chinese New Year is held on the evening of February 3rdat the Imbizo Sibaya Conference Centre, co-hosted by DUT Confucius Institute, the Chinese Consulate General in Durban and the Overseas Chinese Federation of Industry and Commerce in KwaZulu Natal. More than 500 guests, including senior officials from the eThekwini Municipality, consular corps in Durban, South African and Chinese communities were invited to celebrate the Chinese New Year of Monkey together.

     the VC Prof Bawa presenting the Gala

        Distinguished guests, among whom were the Deputy Mayor of the eThekwini Municipality Madam Nomvuzo Shabalala, the CG of China Mr Wang Jianzhou and Prof. Ahmed C Bawa, have enjoyed a most traditional and festive evening. Presented by the instructors and Mandarin learners from DUT and its Confucius Institute, programmes with dramatically amazing Chinese cultural elements like Chinese zither playing, calligraphy writing, paper cutting, Chinese folk dance, Chinese folk song and Chinese Kongfu andTaiji performance entertained the audience with an exotic cultural experience; young artists from Durban Music Conservatory shared the stage to highlight the celebration in the Imbizo Sibaya to welcome the arrival of Chinese Year of Monkey.