Shandong will organize about 21 cultural exchange groups with 258 participating members to attend the 2019 Happy Chinese New Year celebration series during the Spring Festival season, to spread delightful New Year greetings and wishes as well as the unique Qilu culture to different parts of the world.

The "Happy Chinese New Year" cultural program is a worldwide activity for celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year hosted by China's Ministry of Culture and other Chinese authorities since 2009. It features a wide variety of cultural activities ranging from performances and exhibitions to temple fairs and salons.

According to the Shandong provincial department of culture and tourism, artists and performers from Shandong will take part in celebrations in 14 countries and regions, including the United States, the UK, France, South Korea, Thailand and New Zealand.

At the invitation of the China Cultural Center in Seoul, Shandong has sent several art troupes to attend Chinese New Year celebrations in South Korea.

From Jan 9 to Jan 13, the 2019 Korea-China Friendship Concert was staged at the Sejong Grand Theater in South Korea’s capital city of Seoul under the joint efforts of the Shandong provincial department of culture and tourism, the China Cultural Center in Seoul and South Korea’s Ajunews Corporation.

From Jan 14 to 18, artists from the Weihai Mass Art Center staged two special performances at the Weihai Pavilion in Inchon and the China Cultural Center in Seoul.

From Jan 21 to 25, an exhibition featuring Shandong’s intangible cultural heritages is being held in South Korea, along with lectures on China’s Spring Festival customs.

At the invitation of the China Cultural Center in New Zealand, a group of 28 members from the Jinan Acrobatic Troupe will attend Chinese New Year celebrations in Wellington and Auckland from Feb 1 to 11.

Organized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, eight acrobats from the Shandong Acrobatic Troupe will attend related cultural activities in New Zealand and Samoa from Feb 15 to 25.

From Jan 24 to 28, the Shandong art troupe will send 14 performers to attend a Spring Festival gala held in Atlanta.

At the invitation of the Confucius Institute of Colorado State University, a group of 20 members from Shandong Management University will attend a cultural exchange activity at the university.

At the invitation of the national tourism administration of Thailand, a group of 44 artists from Shandong will attend the Chinese New Year celebration series in the country during Spring Festival season.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, more than 1,500 cultural programs will take place in 396 cities in 133 countries and regions during the Spring Festival season during this year’s Happy Chinese New Year global celebration.

The cultural program seeks to provide a global platform that is joyful, harmonious and accessible to all, to encourage people across the world to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, experience the profound and interesting Chinese culture and understand the huge achievements China has made.

Artists from the Weihai Mass Art Center stage a special performance at the China Cultural Center in Seoul on Jan 17 to welcome the upcoming Chines New Year. [Photo/WeChat account: cccsel]

The festive dragon dance parade attracts hordes of visitors in Selles-sur-Cher, a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France on Jan 19. [Photo/WeChat account: tezgc2008]

Musicians from Shandong province perform folk music during the 2019 Korea-China Friendship Concert on Jan 12 in Seoul, capital of South Korea. [Photo/WeChat account: Seoul Chinese Cultural Center]