PARIS, Feb. 13 (Xinhua Silk Road) -- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is willing to take the Chinese New Year as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation with China, with the good wishes carried by the sign of the Horse, stated UNESCO high-level representatives at a Spring Festival celebration event held in Paris.
It has been more than a year since "the Spring Festival, the social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year" was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. As the influence of the Spring Festival continues to expand, this traditional Chinese festival is attracting increasing attention and affection from the international community.
Recently, a celebration event for the 2026 Spring Festival in the form of a temple fair was held by the Permanent Delegation of China to UNESCO at the very heart of UNESCO Headquarters. More than 500 guests, including high-level representatives of UNESCO and permanent representatives to UNESCO from multiple countries, participated to jointly celebrate the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year.
"While the Spring Festival is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, it has become a truly global occasion," said UNESCO director-general Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz. He welcomed the inclusion of the Spring Festival on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as it not only highlights the global influence of Chinese culture, but also injects new momentum into exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
Talking about the meaning of the sign of this year, El-Enany pointed out that the Year of the Horse symbolizes "courage, innovation, and forward momentum". He found this spirit of advancing bravely particularly important in the current international environment full of uncertainties, adding that UNESCO is willing to take this opportunity to further strengthen cooperation with China.
Aligning with this sentiment, he especially recalled his visits to China before arriving at his current post at UNESCO, as an explicit and affectionate explanation. "One moment in particular has remained with me - standing before the Great Wall. It's a striking testament to human effort and perseverance, and it pulls to mind a Chinese saying that has long inspired me: 'A journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step'. This message feels especially relevant today in a world marked by uncertainty. Progress is made step by step, through patience, mutual respect and the will to move forward together."
Khondker M. Talha, president of the UNESCO General Conference, noted that the Spring Festival symbolizes sharing and connection, and that culture enables different countries and peoples to understand and draw closer to one another, building consensus through exchange and mutual learning. "Culture can bring people together. Shared traditions can create common roots. This is the very purpose of UNESCO's work," he said.
As for Talha, the Year of the Horse symbolizes change, opportunity and energy, and its spirit encourages all parties to strengthen confidence, enhance cooperation, and move forward together in the process of UNESCO's reform and development, jointly promoting people-to-people exchanges and multilateral cooperation.
Nasser Bin Hamad Al Hinzab, chairperson of UNESCO's Executive Board, also believed that the Year of the Horse highly aligns with the spirit of unity and cooperation among member states within UNESCO. He expressed the expectation that China, as one of the executive board member states, will continue to make greater contributions to the development of the organization.
(Contributed by Li Wenxin, edited by Tian Shenyoujia with Xinhua Silk Road, tianshenyoga0524@163.com)
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