People watch a lion dance performance celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year in Belgrade, Serbia, Jan 21, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BELGRADE — Serbia will celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival from Monday until Feb 19, welcoming in the Year of the Dragon with a series of cultural events in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis, and Smederevo, organizers announced at a news conference on Jan 26.

Organized by the Serbian government, the Chinese embassy, and the Belt and Road Institute, the celebration will include a variety of cultural events, including opera performances by the Zhejiang Wu troupe in Nis and Novi Sad, interactive exhibitions, tea ceremony presentations, and martial arts and puppet shows in Smederevo.

The Serbian government takes pride in showcasing different aspects of Chinese culture each year.

Danijel Nikolic, assistant to the general secretary of the Serbian government

The festivities in Belgrade will include events at the Galerija shopping center and a spectacular fireworks display on the Belgrade Waterfront, culminating in a concert by the Chinese National Traditional Orchestra at the Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment on Feb 19.

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Ambassador of China to Serbia Li Ming says that the Lunar New Year festival is a time of family reunions and happiness, and adds that the universal values of humanity and the well-being of people are values shared both by the Chinese and Serbian people.

"The Serbian government takes pride in showcasing different aspects of Chinese culture each year," says Danijel Nikolic, assistant to the general secretary of the Serbian government.

People take photos of fireworks during an event celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year in Belgrade, Serbia, Jan 21, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Bojan Lalic, director of the Belt and Road Institute, says the objective of the festivities is to strengthen cultural bonds and foster mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation.

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"We have planned a variety of activities, including artistic performances, operas, concerts, exhibitions and workshops about traditional arts and Chinese culture," he says.