Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations go global

Actors perform dragon dance at the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb 7, 2016. Lion and dragon dances were performed in Cambodia on Sunday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, which falls on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

The festival, an occasion which features exciting family reunions and sincere caring for families and friends, is also known for its inclusiveness, which allows people from across the world to join the celebration regardless of their cultural, racial and religious backgrounds.

In New York, a video celebrating the start of the Year of the Monkey made its debut on the screen at Times Square on Sunday, the Chinese Lunar New Year's eve.

Thousands of miles away, London planned a variety of traditional Chinese celebrations at the city's largest shopping mall Westfield London, ranging from lion dances to calligraphy demonstrations, lantern workshops to stilt walking.

New stamps to commemorate the Year of the Monkey were put on sale in various countries including Canada, France and the United States.

The popularity of the festival stems from its positive, universal spirit, which incarnates the best of human nature.

The traditions of the festival, such as going home for a family reunion, enjoying food together, getting rid of old clothes and wearing new ones, praying for a peaceful year and exchanging blessings, can be found across different cultures.

Both political heavyweights and business tycoons worldwide have already begun to understand the importance of this spirit.

In a message sent to the Chinese people on Saturday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the monkey symbolizes intelligence, agility and good fortune, so 2016 is a good year full of hope and energy.

"We wish to have a good start from the year of the lucky monkey," Ban said, referring to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain, US Secretary of State John Kerry and a lot of other political leaders have sent New Year's greetings to the Chinese people worldwide as well.