STORY: Cultural gala held in Zimbabwe to welcome Year of DragonSHOOTING DATE: Feb. 1, 2024DATELINE: Feb. 3, 2024LENGTH: 00:02:19LOCATION: HarareCATEGORY: SOCIETYSHOTLIST:1. STANDUP (English): TAFARA MUGWARA, Xinhua reporter2. various of the gala3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): KIRSTY COVENTRY, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sports, Arts, Recreation and Culture5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): BARBARA RWODZI, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry6. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): PEACE NDLOVU, Harare residentSTORYLINE:STANDUP (English): TAFARA MUGWARA, Xinhua reporter”As the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches, a gala was held in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital on Thursday to welcome the Year of the Dragon. About 2,000 guests attended the event, and they were entertained by a variety of performances including Chinese martial arts, traditional song and dance, and stunt performances.”  SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe”We would like to provide opportunities for Zimbabwean people to experience Chinese culture, and this is a perfect opportunity, the perfect stage for Zimbabwean people to get a little taste of the Chinese culture. Hopefully, in the future, we can continue this mutual learning, this cultural exchange. And I think traditional value, traditional philosophy and traditional culture play a very important role on our path to modernization, on our paths to prosperity. Both of us, both of our two countries should cherish our traditions and cultures.”SOUNDBITE 2 (English): KIRSTY COVENTRY, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sports, Arts, Recreation and Culture”Today’s event was beautiful. It showed such a strong cultural identity, such a strong cultural heritage. Every single artist and performer was so proud to be on that stage sharing with all of us here in the room what it truly meant to them to be a part of this New Year celebration.”SOUNDBITE 3 (English): BARBARA RWODZI, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry”Today’s performances were very amazing, and we have learned a lot from the Chinese culture and what we can do to enhance our own culture to attract more tourists.”SOUNDBITE 4 (English): PEACE NDLOVU, Harare resident”This is my second time attending the Chinese New Year event and I enjoyed all the performances that were done. I enjoyed, especially, the explanation on some of the songs that was done, like ‘Zimbabwe and China are gonna have a bright future together’ and also the cooperation in terms of cultural exchange, the language. We appreciate so much the relationship that we have with China.”In December 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution officially listing the Chinese New Year as a UN holiday in its calendar of conferences and meetings, starting from 2024.According to the Chinese lunar calendar, this Year of the Dragon starts on Feb. 10.Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harare.(XHTV)
