Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester would like to extend warm Chinese New Year blessings to all of you as we approach the coming year of the Ox.
The year that is about to leave us is destined to be remembered in history as a year of disaster for mankind. Over a hundred million people have been infected with Covid-19 and more than two million people have died of the virus around the world. There is hardly a country or a community anywhere that has not been deeply affected.
New Year has always been a time of renewal and of looking forward to a new beginning, something that I am sure we are all especially keen to do this year.
In Chinese culture the Ox represents incredible, physical and emotional strength and stamina. These are characteristics which are very much in need at this time and we can only hope that the coming year of the OX will usher in better tidings.
There have been huge efforts made by pharmaceutical and medical professionals around the world in recent months and the successful roll out of the vaccine program already gives us hope that life may soon begin to return to normal.
Unfortunately, these developments have not come quite soon enough to enable us to organise our usual Chinese New Year Celebrations and it is a great shame that we cannot all be together at this time to celebrate.
Chinese New Year is also known as Spring Festival and it is a time full of hope. The Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester is organising a number of events starting from 11th February details of which will be on FCAM’s Facebook page. We have once again worked with City Co and Manchester City Council. Lanterns have been put up in the City Centre and a big celebration digital poster will be seen on Arndale Centre’s large digital screen between 11th and 18th February. We have received over 50 Chinese New Year videos from around the world celebrating the New Year and we are asking people to go to FCAM’s Facebook to vote for their favourite. The three videos with the most likes will win prizes. Audiences have chance to win the lucky fans prize as well.
We look forward to a time when we are once again able to enjoy each other’s’ company and, in the meantime, wish you all peace, prosperity and good fortune in the coming New Year.
