Spanish Pavilion Celebrates Chinese New Year in Madrid Parade
Sunday, 14 de February de 2010For another year the Chinese community celebrated the arrival of the lunar new year with a parade from the Puerta del Sol to the Plaza de España.Taking part were a variety of Chinese and Spanish groups and also people of other nationalities. Dressed in colourful costumes, some played traditional instruments and others gave life to the dancing dragons. This year, with a World Expo to be held in Shanghai, representatives of the Spanish Pavilion that is being built for the event also put in an appearance at the Madrid celebrations. Carrying banners with the names of Spain and Shanghai in both Chinese and Spanish, and wearing T-shirts showing the Pavilion's mascot, Miguelín, the Spanish delegation paraded through central Madrid to the Plaza de España.
When all the groups had reached the Plaza, there was a ceremony to ring in the new year, with remarks by the Chinese Ambassador to Spain, Mr Zhu Bangzao, the General Commissioner of the Spanish Pavilion, Ms Maria Tena, and other dignitaries.
In the Plaza de España, there was an exhibition of Chinese handicrafts, customs, and cuisine. The Spanish Pavilion team also had a display to show the contents being prepared for the Expo. The celebrations lasted the entire weekend and included concerts and other activities.
