BOGOTÁ, Feb. 10, 2024 (Xinhua) — A man looks at an image as part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Virgilio Barco library in Bogota, Colombia, Feb. 10, 2024. Hundreds of Colombians gathered this Saturday at the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country. (Xinhua/Str)
By Zhou Shengping and César Mariño
BOGOTÁ, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) — Hundreds of Colombians gathered this Saturday at the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country.
The celebration, which is being held for the fifth year in this busy space in the Colombian capital, was supported by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Colombia, the Chin Woo Andes Colombia Athletic Association and the Bogotá Public Library Network (Bibliored ).
After the presentation of the Lion and Dragon dances, increasingly appreciated by more and more people, the event featured a keynote lecture offered by the director of Cultural Affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Colombia, Yuan Juhua, who shared her knowledge of the language Chinese-Mandarin and other interesting facts about the Asian country.
“Colombians are very enthusiastic and very active, they always have a very positive attitude in life, I think they are a very happy people,” Yuan Juhua told Xinhua.
“(I am) very happy to teach our language to Colombians again, to spread our culture and help strengthen the relationship between China and Colombia,” said the official, while showing her joy at seeing more and more Colombians interested. to delve into Chinese culture.
The event was accompanied by the Colombo China Chamber of Investment and Commerce and the Colombo China Friendship Association, institutions in charge of consolidating commercial and cultural ties between both nations.
Guillermo Puyana, president of the Colombo China Friendship Association, told Xinhua the importance for his organization of the growing number of Colombians who commemorate “the oldest traditional celebration of humanity.”
“Precisely because of this history, this celebration is the most present in all the countries of the world, given that it is a holiday that is welcomed, regardless of religions or social systems, by all cultures in the world,” he added.
“China is the country with the most activities listed as intangible heritage of humanity in UNESCO and the Chinese New Year is already an official celebration within the United Nations (UN),” he said.
The manager also assured that thanks to the dissemination carried out by public entities in Colombia, the Chinese New Year “only has room to grow because people want to know more about this country and its culture becomes more and more attractive, which is why it must always be offered more scenarios so that they can get to know it in depth”.
According to Sergio Cárdenas de Oro, coordinator of the Virgilio Barco Public Library, the interest of Colombians in Chinese culture and the enthusiasm to join this celebration is due above all “to the fact that people are interested in everything related to self-care , to well-being”.
“At this time of year, people are interested in starting off on the right foot and all of this is offered by a culture that offers us everything related to ancestral practices,” he highlighted.
For this reason, Cárdenas said, Bibliored develops a writing and oral program where Chinese culture is the protagonist.
“In that sense we have established artistic and academic conferences focused on recognizing the audiovisual and written practices of this culture,” he added.
Throughout February, the Colombian capital will hold events in public parks and academic programs in universities and libraries to continue celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year.
BOGOTÁ, February 10, 2024 (Xinhua) — People react as part of the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Virgilio Barco library, in Bogota, Colombia, on February 10, 2024. Hundreds of Colombians gathered this Saturday in the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country. (Xinhua/Str)
BOGOTÁ, Feb. 10, 2024 (Xinhua) — Artists perform a lion dance performance as part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Virgilio Barco library in Bogota, Colombia, Feb. 10, 2024. Hundreds of Colombians gathered this Saturday at the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country. (Xinhua/Str)
BOGOTÁ, Feb. 10, 2024 (Xinhua) — Artists perform a lion dance performance as part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Virgilio Barco library in Bogota, Colombia, Feb. 10, 2024. Hundreds of Colombians gathered this Saturday at the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country. (Xinhua/Str)
BOGOTÁ, Feb. 10, 2024 (Xinhua) — Women hold a dragon costume as part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Virgilio Barco library in Bogota, Colombia, Feb. 10, 2024. Hundreds of Colombians gather gathered this Saturday at the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country. (Xinhua/Str)
BOGOTÁ, Feb. 10, 2024 (Xinhua) — Photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows a prop dragon floating on a fountain as part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Virgilio Barco library in Bogota, Colombia, on February 10, 2024. Hundreds of Colombians gathered this Saturday at the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country. (Xinhua/Str)
BOGOTÁ, Feb. 10, 2024 (Xinhua) — People participate in a martial arts workshop as part of the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Virgilio Barco library in Bogota, Colombia, Feb. 10, 2024. Hundreds of Colombians gathered this Saturday at the emblematic Virgilio Barco Public Library in Bogotá to receive the Chinese Lunar New Year and enjoy the richness of the ancient culture of the Asian country. (Xinhua/Str)