2023-12-31 18:15:58
The people of the South Sea atoll of Kiritimati were the first in the world to welcome the year 2024. The approximately 7,300 residents started the new year at 11 a.m. German time. The Chatham Islands, which belong to New Zealand, followed just 15 minutes later. They are located about 800 kilometers east of New Zealand and have their own time zone. Only around 700 residents live on two of the ten islands in the archipelago.
An hour after Kiritimati, New Zealand and the island states of Samoa and Tonga celebrated the turn of the year. In New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, the 328 meter high Sky Tower was at the center of an elaborate light show with 500 kilograms of pyrotechnics.
AI controls light projection in Sydney
Australia welcomed the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display in Sydney. More than a million people celebrated, especially around the harbor of the Australian metropolis, where the harbor bridge and the opera house, the city’s landmarks, were bathed in light and color at midnight. Eight tons of fireworks were shot off. In addition, for the first time ever, there were light projections generated by artificial intelligence that cause neither air nor noise pollution.
A million onlookers were expected in the metropolis on the east coast, including visitors from Germany and other European countries. Around a billion people around the world traditionally watch on screens. At 9 p.m. the sky lit up for the first time as part of the eight-minute family fireworks display.
Gigantic light spectacles were also planned in many Asian metropolises, including Singapore, where numerous onlookers are expected to watch the fireworks at Marina Bay with a view of the skyline. In Bangkok, the mighty Chao Phraya River is once again at the center of the celebrations, in which the lights of the mega fireworks are traditionally reflected. Many wanted to party on party boats to experience the show up close. Thailand, which follows the Buddhist calendar, starts in the year 2567.
Quiet New Year’s Eve in China
China has also already welcomed the New Year, although much more quietly than other parts of the world. Although there are smaller celebrations in the People’s Republic, New Year’s Eve is not the highest priority for the Chinese. After all, according to the traditional lunar calendar, the New Year does not begin until February 10th. Only then does the family celebrate extensively and a huge wave of travel begins that moves hundreds of millions of people across the country.
In the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, New Year’s Eve is more important. In Hong Kong, tens of thousands gathered around Victoria Harbor to marvel at the large fireworks display. Numerous large parties also took place in the casino city of Macau.
American Samoa, located just 220 kilometers east of Samoa on the other side of the International Date Line, will be the last country to ring in 2024 – twelve hours after Germany.
Pope: “Listen to the voice of conscience”
In Rome, Pope Francis prayed for the victims of wars and conflicts. He recalled the suffering of the Israelis, Palestinians, Ukrainians and Sudanese, but also that of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.
After his Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, he said the question was “how many lives have been torn apart by armed conflict, how many deaths” and “how much destruction, how much suffering, how much poverty” there has been. “Those who have an interest in these conflicts, listen to the voice of conscience,” the Pope urged.
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