On February 3, the “2025 Northern Portugal Happy Spring Festival” celebration kicked off in Coimbra, Portugal, becoming the most vibrant and heartwarming cultural event of the winter season. The event was organized by the Embassy of The People’s Republic of China in the Portuguese Republic and the Coimbra Government, with co-organizers including various Chinese business associations in Portugal and the Confucius Institute at the University of Coimbra (CIUC). It attracted government officials, cultural scholars, leaders from the overseas Chinese community, and nearly a hundred local citizens from both China and Portugal. The event received extensive coverage from multiple media outlets, including China News, People’s Daily Overseas Edition, Câmara Municipal de Coimbra and University of Coimbra (UC), as well as Jornal Puxin.

Zhao Bentang, Chinese Ambassador to Portugal, José Manuel Silva, Mayor of Coimbra, João Nuno, UC Vice-Rector for External Relations and Alumni, Chow Y Ping, Chairman of Portugal-China Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Chamber of Commerce, and Zhou Miao, the foreign director of the CIUC, were among the distinguished guests who delivered speeches at the event. Zhao Bentang, emphasized in his speech, “The Spring Festival is not just a Chinese holiday; it has become a global cultural symbol around the world. In 2024, the Spring Festival was officially listed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.” He hoped that cross-cultural exchanges would deepen the understanding and friendship between the two countries’ peoples and that more Portuguese friends would come to appreciate China’s rich and unique traditional culture.

José specifically acknowledged the contributions of the CIUC in promoting the Chinese language and culture. He expressed his hope that in the new year, Coimbra would further strengthen its friendship with China and the Chinese community in Portugal. He also had a cordial conversation with Guo Liangyan, a Chinese teacher dispatched by Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (ZCMU).

Ye Xiao, the Chinese Director of CIUC, along with Professors Lara Lopes and Manuel Gameiro, delivered thematic reports during the event. They shared insights on the current development and prospects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) at the Confucius Institute, an overview of the newly established Chinese Medicine Hospital in Portugal, and a new Sino-Portuguese research project on renewable energy cooperation. These discussions brought an auspicious sign for China-Portugal collaboration as part of the joyful celebrations for the Year of the Snake.

During the cultural performances, faculty and students from CIUC, together with the Associação de Cultura Chinesa Pensamento Oriental (ACCPO), presented a spectacular cultural feast. The bilingual recitation Ode to Spring Festival conveyed the heartfelt wishes of international students for their homeland. The flute solo Spring Festival Overture was melodious and uplifting, perfectly capturing the festive joy of the Chinese New Year. A highlight of the evening was Ye Xiao’s Daoist Swimming Dragon, which embodied the traditional Chinese philosophical concept of the harmony between humanity and nature through graceful movements and intricate techniques. The performance received rounds of applause from the audience. Immersed in the rich atmosphere of Chinese culture, spectators expressed their deep admiration for Chinese traditional arts.

CIUC is the first overseas Confucius Institute of ZCMU. Currently, it has a Chinese Director and a Chinese language teacher stationed in Portugal, dedicated to TCM education and cultural exchange. This event, co-organized by the Confucius Institute of ZCMU, was not only a grand cultural feast for the Chinese and Portuguese people to welcome the New Year together but also a significant step in deepening cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges between China and Portugal. It strengthened mutual understanding and provided a broader platform for Sino-Portuguese friendship and cultural collaboration.