On February 4 local time, Belgrade hosted a special Serbia-focused event titled “Spring Festival Gala Overture: A Global Celebration of the Spring Festival.” The event was jointly organized by China Media Group (CMG), the Serbian Ministry of Culture, the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, the Serbian Embassy in China, the Belgrade China Cultural Center, and the Belgrade Belt and Road Institute.
Attendees included the Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, the Vice Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department, CMG’s Director-General, and other officials from both sides, either in person or via video messages. About 300 guests also participated, including representatives from Serbia’s education, culture, and media sectors, as well as delegates involved in China-Serbia Belt and Road cooperation projects.
In a video message, Vice Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department and CMG Director-General Shen Haixiong said the Spring Festival is a cultural symbol of Chinese civilization, celebrated for thousands of years. CMG has held the Spring Festival Gala annually for 43 consecutive years, making it the world’s largest annual cultural event in terms of audience size. The Gala has become a spiritual festival on the eve of the Lunar New Year, building bridges between Chinese people globally and friends from other countries.
He added that this year’s CMG Spring Festival Gala incorporated technological innovations such as 5G, 4K/8K, and AI, and leveraged broadcasting in 85 languages to present a cultural feast to audiences worldwide. As this year marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, he called for collective efforts to welcome a warm and hopeful spring.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, stated that CMG plays a vital role as a bridge for cultural exchange, showcasing Chinese civilization through high-quality productions. He emphasized that such initiatives enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Serbia and China, invigorating bilateral relations. On the occasion of China’s “Year of the Horse,” he wished for China to continue contributing to global stability and lead the world toward a peaceful and prosperous future.
Other speakers included Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, and the Chinese Ambassador to Serbia.
Reports from the event, “Spring Festival Gala Overture: Witnessing the Global Celebration of the Spring Festival”, have been widely covered and cited by major European media outlets, including Serbian Radio and Television, Serbian Politico, Euronews, RT, and Sputnik.
Source: Zinnia-Touhid-Fei, China Media Group.