On January 25, 2023, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the Ateneo de Davao (ADDU) community and partners from Huaqiao University of the People’s Republic of China celebrate the Chinese New Year (Year of the Water Rabbit) on 25 January 2023 at the Arrupe Hall.
The Confucius Institute at ADDU, the first Confucius Institute in Mindanao and outside Luzon, hosted the first in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic and was co-hosted by President Eunice Tan and Vice President Maxine Sy of Ateneo Filipino-Chinese Community (AFCC).
The attendees were able to express their Chinese New Year greetings and wishes. Among the special guests present were: Honorable Deputy Consul General Liu Qian, Deputy Consul General of China in Davao; Honorable Consul Jin Jun of Chinese Consulate General in Davao; Mr. Jeremy S. Eliab, Executive Vice President of Ateneo de Davao University; Honorary Consul Peter Faistauer of the Austrian Consulate in Davao; Ms. Barbara Carla Q. Echavia, Head of Appointments of Office of the Vice President of the Philippines and Executive Assistant to the Vice President; Mr. Erwin Tan, President of the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. Davao Chapter; Mr. Johnny Tan, Deputy Director of the Davao Overseas Chinese Service Center and Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. Davao Chapter; Ms. Nicole Hao Bian Ledesma, Vice President of Joji Ilagan Career Centre Foundation Inc.; Atty. Jonah Margarette Presto, Assistant Chief of Staff, City Government of Davao; Professor Zhang Shenglin, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at Ateneo de Davao University; Dr. Maricar Gay V. Panda, English Director of the Confucius Institute at Ateneo de Davao University; Davao City Government officials; as well as Ateneo de Davao administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
On behalf of Huaqiao University, Vice President Lin Hongyu delivered a video message to wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year. Ateneo Mandarin students, AFCC members, Davao Wushu Team, and Davao Lion Dance Association also presented some outstanding performances.
The Chinese New Year is one of the most revered and festive celebrations in China and across the world. The festival signals the beginning of spring and the start of a new year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. This was the first time we met offline after the pandemic to celebrate the Chinese New Year together.
Article and Photos by the ADDU-Confucius Institute
