2016 Chinese New Year lantern festival

    Feb 13,14, 2016, The lantern festival has had experiential growth in Australia. In 2016, the Sydney Chinese New Year Lantern Festival commenced on Valentine’s Day. Hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of Economic, Trade and Cultural Affairs, Australia Nanhai Culture Media Co. LTD., Presenter by Australian Chinese Performing Artists  Association with events spanning over six days, over 700,000 Australian Chinese, overseas Chinese and tourists gathers at Darling Harbour to enjoy the display of traditional Chinese lanterns as well as folk performances in commemorations of the new year.

    Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Opposition Leader, Shaw Dayton, Chinese Consul General in Sydney, Li Huaxin, Honorary Chairman of the China Central Commodity Trade Association Lin Huiyuan, Executive Chairman Central Commodities Association, Li Guiping, Chinese community leader, Huang Xiangmo, President of Nanhai Media, Li Bing, Chairman of Huaxing Arts Group William JW Yu as well as many other Chinese and Australian politicians, business and overseas attendances attended the opening ceremony of the, “Chinese New Year Lantern Festival”.

Photo Gallery

 Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s speech, affirming the ethnic Chinese culture in Australia as well as hopes for a brighter future greatly supported the Australian Chinese wish to extend the traditions of the Chinese New Year to Australians. a two-day performance of 18 arts groups under the Huaxing Arts Group as well as a talented student troupe from China. 

Other highlights of the lantern festival included the “Chinese New Year Lantern Festival Gala”. Cultural China Arts Troupe, and the Chengdu Xindu District Hibiscus Huachuan Troupe, Performing at Sydney’s Valentine Port Amphitheatre, it is needless to say, the performances were well received by the Sydney audience. 

Being the most important event in the Sydney Chinese New Year Celebration series, the Sydney Chinese New Year Lantern Festival not only gave Chinese Australian a taste of their traditional customs as well as recreating a strongly sentimental atmosphere, but also gave insight for Non Chinese background individuals into China’s vibrant traditions in regards to the celebration of the passing of the New Year.

Each year, the Sydney Chinese New Year Lantern Festival is dedicated to the showcasing of Chinese culture. It is hoped that it will become an important platform for the promotion of multiculturalism and further exchanges between the two prosperous countries of China and Australia.