Students and community gear up to celebrate Chinese New Year

A week-long celebration of Chinese culture and commerce will take place at Plymouth University as the city heralds in the Chinese New Year.

From a business networking event to a gala dinner, there will be a range of festivities open to the whole community taking place from January 27-31.

A marquee in the Rolle Plaza, on the University’s city centre campus, will be the venue for the events, which are being organised by Events Management students to herald in the Year of the Horse.

Richard Parkman, Lecturer in Leadership and Events Management at Plymouth University, said: “With hundreds of students from right across the world, the University’s has a major influence on Plymouth’s cultural diversity. The Chinese New Year events offer the chance to celebrate that fact, and give students, staff and the wider community the opportunity to exchange opinions and expertise on a range of issues. It is also a unique opportunity for our students to work with different sectors of the community in the organisation of a major cultural celebration.”

The Business Networking event, on Monday 27 January from 6-9pm, will include a welcome from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Ray Playford, and a keynote address from Fenghua Mo, Founder and Director of Market Me China Ltd, who along with other speakers will deliver inspirational talks regarding Chinese culture, business and etiquette.

There will also be a drinks reception and canapés for guests, alongside entertainment from the University Chinese Society throughout the evening, while a variety of stands will offer information and advice on employability and business, as well as many other opportunities the University can offer.

On Thursday 30 January there will be a drop-in event bringing students and staff of all cultures together to experience Chinese culture and traditions. The free event will include authentic Asian cuisine, performing arts displays, Chinese massage and tea stands, interactive workshops and a variety of Chinese craft stalls.

The Chinese New Year Celebration Dinner, on Friday 31 January, will be the grand finale for the week. Open to students, staff and residents, it provides an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to come together and embrace the traditional Chinese customs. Tickets cost £15, and there will be performances from lion and dragon dancers, silk and hoop aerialists, Chinese pole acts, pot jugglers and martial arts.

Lingyuan Meng, International Student Officer at the University, said: “The Chinese New Year is a day where families gather around for the annual reunion dinner. For many of our students, it is when they miss home the most, so we try to make the event on campus a real celebration where they can enjoy themselves as they would at home.”

For more information on how to attend the Chinese New Year events at Plymouth University, visit www.plymouth.ac.uk