Chinese New Year Banquet

On the evening of the 24th, the CSUN China Institute (CSUN China Institute) and the Chinese  Student and Scholar Association (CSUN-CSSA) on campus jointly hosted a lively Chinese New  Year banquet at the Northridge Center on campus. Nearly 200 faculty, students, and community  representatives from both on and off-campus enjoyed an evening filled with traditional Chinese  cultural elements. Education Consuls Xuejing Sun and Lijun Yang from the Consulate-General  of China in Los Angeles, along with Meera Komarraju, Provost of California State University  Northridge, and Jeffrey Reeder, Dean of the College of Humanities, were invited to attend and  delivered speeches thanking the China Institute for its contributions to enriching campus  diversity over the years.

The theme of this year is ‘Harmony and Heritage,’ aiming to bridge cultural differences, foster  awareness of mutual understanding, and create a harmonious environment where people from  different backgrounds gather to celebrate, learn, and appreciate the rich Chinese culture. In the  long run, the China Institute will strive to enable a wide audience in North America (including  university students, faculty, staff, children receiving TK-12 education, and community groups) to  have broad access to projects/activities showcasing Chinese culture and resources. We also  aspire to strengthen community ties and enhance cultural awareness through the transformative  power of educational and cultural engagement between China and the United States. Therefore,  we look forward to sponsorship from individuals, businesses, and cultural organizations with  similar visions and values.”

The opening performance of the event was featured a display of traditional Chinese culture  across different historical periods. 14 Chinese American youth dressed in costumes from various  dynasties recited classic poetry from the eras they represent, while accompanied by a bilingual  (Chinese and English) presentation on a screen.

14-year-old Chinese-American violinist Aaron Liu won first prize at the CECILIA International  Competition in Tokyo last year. His solo performance of “Carmen Fantasie” elicited awe from  the audience with his masterful skills and interpretation of the piece.

The event also featured a special guest performance by the mysterious magician Andrew  Andrini, who astounded the audience with his spectacular magic tricks.