Exhibition, special program celebrate Chinese New Year

BELGRADE - The Chinese Embassy in Serbia and the Chinese Center at Megatrend University have opened a photo exhibition titled "Recollections of the People's Republic of China" (Secanja Narodne Republike Kine) and staged a special program to mark the coming of the Chinese New Year.

China and Serbia are traditionally friendly countries and China highly appreciates the development of cooperation with Serbia, Xu Hong, cultural affairs counselor at the Chinese Embassy said while opening the celebration late on Wednesday.

Addressing those gathered, Xu said that besides trade relations, the two countries were also continuously developing cultural cooperation and exchange.

The celebration featured the performances of flutist Bora Dugic, folk singer Merima Njegomir, poet Dragan Dragojlovic, Megatrend students who performed a sketch in the Chinese language, and Xu himself, who sang two famous old Serbian songs, "Autumn Leaves" (Jesenje lisce) and "There, Far Away" (Tamo daleko), in Serbian, which received a tumultuous applause and a standing ovation from those present.

The photographs displayed in the lobby of the Megatrend University building represent the most significant events in China since the founding of today's PRC in 1949 and portray the lives of the Chinese people all the way from the commoners to the highest Chinese officials.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the biggest Chinese holiday. This year, according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, the New Year begins on February 19.

Photo Tanjug/Oksana Toskic