UN News: Spring Festival included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
On December 4, 2024, the 19th regular session of the UNESCO "Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage" held in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, decided on Wednesday to include "Chinese Social Practices of Celebrating the Traditional New Year" in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The introduction released by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage said: "In China, the Spring Festival marks the beginning of the new year, with the first day of the first lunar month of the traditional calendar as the beginning of the year. Around the Spring Festival, people carry out a series of social practices, bid farewell to the old and usher in the new, pray for blessings and good luck, celebrate family reunions, and promote community harmony. This celebration process is commonly known as "Chinese New Year". In addition to participating in public celebrations, people worship the heaven and earth and their ancestors, and pay New Year's greetings to their elders, relatives, friends and neighbors to express good wishes. This heritage project provides the Chinese people with a sense of identity and continuity."
Putting the feelings of home and country and promoting common values-the Chinese delegation interprets the positive significance of the Spring Festival application for World Heritage
In the view of the delegation, the inclusion of this heritage project in the Representative List will help promote the common values of harmony and peace for all mankind and demonstrate the important role of intangible cultural heritage in sustainable development. Looking to the future, China is willing to earnestly fulfill its protection commitments, work together with all parties, use intangible cultural heritage as a bridge and bond, implement the global civilization initiative, deepen exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and contribute to promoting world cultural diversity and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
The Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake in the lunar calendar is the first Spring Festival after the successful application for World Heritage.
I sincerely hope that people from all countries will celebrate the "Spring Festival" together and share "Happy Spring Festival".
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