Celebrating the Year of the Horse: A New Beginning for our Community
However you celebrate, or even if you’ve never celebrated before, it is a brilliant moment to pause, connect, and start the lunar new year with intention. As we welcome the Year of the Horse, a symbol of energy, resilience, and forward movement.
Today, Tuesday 17 February, marks the official start of the Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year is a set of celebrations shaped by lunisolar calendars across Asia and beyond. In Chinese communities, it is often called Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, but it is also marked in many other cultures (for example, Tết in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea). However you celebrate, or even if you’ve never celebrated before, it is a brilliant moment to pause, connect, and start the year with intention. As we welcome the Year of the Horse, a symbol of energy, resilience, and forward movement, iRise would like to wish our entire staff and student community a happy and prosperous new year.
Building a Community of "Reunion" For many of us at Queen’s, today is the most significant cultural milestone of the year. It is a time traditionally dedicated to family reunion, happiness, and welcoming good fortune. However, for our international staff and students currently living in the UK, this celebration takes place far away from their extended families in their home countries.
To help bridge this gap, iRise was proud to support the University’s Chinese New Year Launch Event, ensuring our community could come together in a meaningful way.
During the launch, iRise Co-Chair Dr. Bee-Yen Toh spoke about the tradition of the "Reunion Dinner" (团圆饭). In Asian cultures, this pre-New Year meal is about unity and completeness. Her message to the attendees was simple: while we may be far from our relatives, the community we build here at Queen's becomes our "family" away from home.
A Look Back at the Launch The festivities began in earnest on Friday 13 February with the official Launch Event at the One Elmwood Student Centre. From 12:00 to 13:00, The Cube was filled with staff and students gathering to hear opening speeches and, most importantly, to share food together. This communal meal offered a wonderful opportunity for staff and students from diverse backgrounds to pause, connect, and celebrate together at the same table.
Following this warm reception, the energy shifted gears as the spectacular Dragon Parade wound its way through the building, leading into a vibrant Cultural Fair in the foyer. It was wonderful to see the campus come alive with such colour and joy, setting the perfect tone for the year ahead.
Continuing the Celebrations Although the New Year has arrived, the festivities at Queen's are far from over. The programme continues to offer opportunities for cultural exchange:
- Wed 18 Feb (13:00–14:00): AI Meets Chinese New Year: Tradition and Innovation in Harmony (Xing He), McClay Library Auditorium
- Thu 19 Feb (13:00–14:30): Irish Music and Sport in China – My Professional and Social Life Stories (Hon. Prof Seán Cunningham), McClay Library Auditorium
- Mon 23 Feb (13:00–14:00): Painting with the Shuttle: Chinese Kesi Technique in Silk Tapestry (Hui Ma), McClay Library Auditorium
- Wed 25 Feb (13:00–14:00): Starting from Small Grant: Reflections on the Challenges and Opportunities of Interdisciplinary Research (Hangfei Guo), McClay Library Auditorium
- Thu 26 Feb (13:00–14:00): Think culturally, act locally… Future Care Planning in Northern Ireland (Lijun Xue), McClay Library Auditorium
- Sat 28 Feb (12:00–15:00): Fun Time with Table Tennis at Queen’s, PEC Main Hall (Booking required; entry fees covered)
Still to Come Around Belfast If you’d rather celebrate in the city, there are excellent options nearby:
- Fri 20 Feb: Chinese calligraphy workshop (5pm) and film screening (7pm) at Templemore Baths Heritage Centre.
- Sun 22 Feb: Chinese New Year Celebration at Ulster Hall (13:30 & 17:00, ticketed).
- Sun 1 Mar: Bridges to China launch at the Ulster Museum (13:00–16:00).
A Wish for the Year Ahead On behalf of the iRise network, we wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous Year of the Horse. May this year bring you the resilience to overcome challenges and the joy of a supportive community.
To view the full programme of remaining events, please visit the Chinese at Queen's Blog written by Dr. Liang Wang.