Happy Chinese New Year 2011: The Year of the Rabbit

I would like to wish you all a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year and hope that you will join me in celebrating the first day in the Chinese calendar.

On Sunday 6th February, Londoners will be celebrating with the first major outdoor festival of the year, bringing a welcome burst of energy and excitement to the city. Last year’s celebrations were excellent, and this year I will again be attending the event at Trafalgar Square. The festival will feature fireworks, dancing and stage performances in Trafalgar Square throughout the day, an additional stage in Shaftesbury Avenue showcasing contemporary Chinese culture, and Lion Teams in Chinatown itself.

Over the past 30 years, the Chinese New Year celebrations in London have grown from a small-scale community event to the major attraction that they have become, drawing a large number of Londoners every year to join in with the festivities, thanks mainly to the hard work of the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA). I would also like to thank the many performers, including the special guest artists from China, who have in the past made the event so spectacular, and this year it promises to be no exception.

I hope that as many of you as possible will attend the event and help to make it a great success. I will be present to make a speech at the official, along with the LCCA chairman, Leslie Ng, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Liu Xiaoming amoung others.

Kung Hei Fay Choi!