Confucius Institute Celebrates Chinese New Year in Luxembourg City

On the afternoon of Saturday 31 January 2026, the Confucius Institute at the University of Luxembourg organised, in collaboration with the Union Commerciale de la Ville de Luxembourg (UCVL) and Galeries Lafayette Luxembourg, a Chinese New Year celebration in Place d'Armes in Luxembourg City.

The Confucius Institute promotes the development of the Chinese language and culture, not only within the university but also across the country at an educational, cultural and scientific level.

The event started with a wide range of stands and activities, where traditional arts and pastimes were presented to the public. Everyone was invited to participate in different activities, such as Chinese calligraphy, Chinese painting, a photobooth where traditional Chinese clothing was made available for the crowd. Some stands offered traditional food and drinks from Chinese culture, for the public to taste different as well as homely customs.

At the beginning of the celebration, a group of artists from the French Association of Chinese Dragon and Lion Dance (AFDDLC) played traditional music, accompanied by a violinist. Then three martial art schools - The Phénix, École Wuxing and AFDDLC - presented multiple fighting choreographies (martial arts) with their students, including sword-fighting and nunchaku-fighting choreographies.

The event went on until 15:00, when a short speech was given by the Director of the Confucius Institute, Jauffrey Bareille, who welcomed the crowd. Then, the Mayor of Luxembourg City, Lydia Polfer, thanked the artists and performers present, and also the university for the organisation of this celebration.

The floor was also given to the Chinese Ambassador to Luxembourg, Hua Ning. The Ambassador explained that 2026 marked the year of the Fire Horse, characterised by dynamic energy, passion and independence, influencing the traits of those born during this time. Hua Ning pointed out that "the City of Luxembourg is always very supportive for the cultural exchange between China and Luxembourg", that they have a very good understanding, and he even invited the public to travel to China (with the direct flight to Zhengzhou).

At 17:00, the dance of the lion started, during which two people in a lion costume manipulated the head and the tail of the animal. The coloured lion danced around fruit, which he ate and then spit out again in a platter, where the fruit was beautifully placed, to offer it to the Ambassador. This performance is believed to bring luck into the new year.

Directly afterwards, the Chinese dragon parade started, a spectacular and extravagant show, where the talented teams specialised in martial art gave a long show in front of an amazed crowd. The four differently painted dragons flew around the city, followed by an enormous crowd, presenting the Chinese culture and allowing everyone, despite their ethnicity, to participate in the celebration.

JM