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BEIJING. – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday sent a message to the Chinese people and wished them a happy Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on February 10 this year.

In a video message, Guterres said the Year of the Dragon symbolizes energy, wisdom, protection and good luck. “We need these qualities to rise to today’s global challenges.”

Noting that the celebration at the United Nations this year is special as the Chinese Lunar New Year is part of the UN holiday calendar for the first time, Guterres expressed his gratitude to China and the Chinese people for their unwavering support to the UN, multilateralism and global progress.

“Together, we can realize a sustainable, just and peaceful future,” he added.

At the end of the video, he wished the Chinese people good health, happiness and prosperity in this new year. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important festival in China and an occasion for family reunions.

In Addis Ababa, a Chinese New Year celebration was held Tuesday at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), with Mandarin-speaking students at UNECA and other staff enjoying distinctive Chinese cultural activities, including songs, paper cutting and aromatic Chinese tea.

Hosted by the Chinese Mission to the African Union (AU), the celebration brought together members of the diplomatic community from China and other African countries, as well as Chinese language students at UNECA, among others.

Wishing a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year and fruitful China-Africa cooperation, Hu Changchun, head of mission of China to the AU and representative of China to the UNECA, said China will continue to work with UNECA and Africa to build a China-Africa community with a shared future under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative.

“Regardless of the changes in the world, China and Africa have always stood firmly by each other on issues involving core interests and major concerns,” Hu said, adding that the language courses at UNECA will help the students better understand China’s long and splendid history and culture, as well as appreciate more closely China’s path to modernisation. – Xinhua