On February 28, Rotterdam hosted a grand Chinese New Year celebration. As an important part of the “Happy Chinese New Year” program, the China Cultural Center in The Hague continued to strengthen its local partnerships this year. Building on the popular vintage tram cultural workshop, the Center participated for the first time in Spring Festival events held at Verhalenhuis Belvédère and the FENIX Museum of Migration, celebrating the Year of the Horse with local communities through a richer variety of cultural activities.

On the afternoon of February 28, Rotterdam’s Chinatown was filled with the sounds of drums and the lively movements of lion dances as the annual street celebration officially began. A vintage tram stationed on the street once again transformed into a mobile Chinese cultural hub, hosting a hand-painted paper fan workshop organized by the Center. Inside the tram, participants focused on their creations as motifs of galloping horses and spring plum blossoms came to life on paper. Many proudly took photos with their finished fans. Since its debut last year, the workshop has been warmly welcomed by both the Chinese community and local residents. It returned this year by popular demand, further enhancing the visibility of the “Happy Chinese New Year” brand in Rotterdam.

In addition to the street festivities, the Center participated for the first time in Chinese New Year-themed programs at Verhalenhuis Belvédère and the FENIX Museum of Migration, extending cultural experiences from the streets into institutional spaces and enriching the celebration with greater historical depth and humanistic meaning.

Verhalenhuis Belvédère is dedicated to documenting and presenting the history of Chinese migration and its interaction with local culture. The surrounding neighborhood was once among the earliest Chinatowns in Europe. On March 1, the venue hosted lectures on Chinese New Year traditions alongside a series of cultural presentations. A special guided tour of the exhibition “Image Migration,” led by curator Fenmei Hu and Chinese-Dutch descendant David Zee, explored the unique history of the Zee family.

At the event, traditional Chinese dance performances presented by the Center received enthusiastic applause, bringing a vibrant festive atmosphere into a space rich with migration memories. The celebration of the Chinese New Year thus became a bridge connecting migrant heritage with contemporary cultural dialogue.

The China Cultural Center in The Hague remains committed to promoting Spring Festival culture through diverse approaches. It will continue to collaborate with local partners to ensure that the “Happy Chinese New Year” brand takes root, flourishes, and returns each year across the Netherlands.