UN in Geneva celebrates Spring Festival with Chinese ambassadors

The United Nations office in Geneva has been decorated with Chinese ornaments and lanterns to ring in the Spring Festival. 

In 2024, UNESCO listed the Spring festival on its intangible cultural heritage list, acknowledging the significance of the Lunar New Year. 

Every year there is an event at the UN offices in Geneva to celebrate the Chinese New year. This year it was organized by the Chinese Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva.

The event kicked off with a multinational orchestra performing Chinese music. It was followed by a Chinese dance performance by children from different countries.

The guests were able to savor traditional Chinese food, participate in interactive activities to get to know the year of the horse and try their hand at making Chinese art.

Director General of the UN in Geneva, Tatyana Valovaya, opened the event with a speech. She said that "in the year of the Horse we should act just like riding the horse: keep the right direction, focus on all the moves and go straight forward, to achieve success together."

She then invited China's new Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Jia Guide, to take to the stage. 

Ambassador Jia took office in December 2025 and the Chinese New Year celebrations was his first time hosting an event at the UN. 

He told the gathering: "I fully echo what Director General Valovaya just said. We are here to show trust to our partners and celebrate as a family."

Jia took the opportunity to wish Happy New Year to everybody.

Joining him in the celebrations was his wife, alongside China's ambassador to the World Trade Organisation Li Yongjie and China's Ambassador to Disarmament Shen Jian. 

Li Yongjie spoke to CGTN and said that "since both the UN and the World Trade Organisation are important multilateral platforms, I also wish all the colleagues working on the multilateral platforms a very successful year."

After the speeches, the ambassadors took the opportunity to meet and greet other ambassadors and diplomats.

China's traditions and culture were on display at the event with traditional Chinese dress, ceramics and art pieces. 

2026 is the year of the Horse so guests were able to learn about the meaning of the Chinese zodiac. 

Chinese New Year celebrations are a popular occasion at the UN in Geneva, aimed at bringing nations together to promote multilateralism and cultural understanding.