Revelers flocked to ring in the Chinese Lunar New Year and welcome the fast-approaching Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at a celebratory event hosted by the China Media Group in Nairobi, Kenya on Monday.
Held at the Two Rivers Mall, a major shopping center in the East African metropolis, the celebration centered on a real-time live screening of the China Media Group’s ‘Spring Festival Gala’ show, an annual television event recognized as the most widely watched TV show in the world.
Attendees had the chance to sample Chinese delicacies while enjoying cultural performances, participating in lucky draws and getting a taste of the unique traditions associated with this ancient holiday.
At the stroke of midnight in China, which marked the start of the lunar Year of the Tiger, Africa’s largest Ferris wheel, The Eye of Kenya, was illuminated with the color red, symbolic of luck and good fortune in Chinese culture.
The celebration was also an opportunity for Kenyans to look ahead towards the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, due to kick off in the Chinese capital later this week. The Swahili language version of the Winter Olympics theme song featured on Monday’s soundtrack.
The games will see athletes from five African countries, including Kenya, Eritrea, Madagascar, Morocco and Nigeria, compete and will make Beijing the first city in history to host both a Summer and Winter Olympics.
