Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping kicked off a series of 2024 Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations across the region the 2024 “Happy Chinese New Year” launch ceremony in New York on Tuesday, January 16.

At the ceremony, Huang used three keywords to explain the meaning of the Spring Festival: home, hope, and happiness. He also showcased the design and meaning of the “lucky dragon” behind this year’s mascot Jixiang Long.

Representatives from the U.S. and Chinese organizations, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, showcased their Spring Festival celebration activities.

More than 20 Chinese New Year celebration activities will take place in the area, including concerts, exhibitions, and tourist attractions. Landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, and the American Dream Mall will also hold lighting ceremonies.

Noting the Chinese Lunar New Year has become a public school holiday in New York and a United Nations holiday, Huang said celebrating the Chinese New Year with partners in the U.S. is one of the practical steps to promote mutual understanding between the two peoples and strengthen bilateral relations.