Tunis: A celebratory cultural performance was held on Saturday evening at the Opera Theatre in the City of Culture, organised by the Chinese Embassy in Tunis to mark the Spring Festival and welcome the Chinese New Year 2026, the Year of the Horse, as part of the event 'Happy Spring Festival: Enchanting Silk Road.'
According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, the event was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Mohamed Ali Nafti and Minister of Cultural Affairs Amina Srarfi, alongside several ambassadors accredited to Tunisia, cultural and diplomatic figures, members of the Chinese community in Tunisia, and a large number of Tunisians eager to explore Chinese culture.
In his opening address, Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Wan Li welcomed attendees, expressing delight at celebrating the Spring Festival, China's most important traditional holiday symbolising family reunion, optimism, and new beginnings. He explained that in China, the festival is characterised by ancient rituals, including offerings to heaven, earth, and ancestors, exchanging greetings, and prayers for a prosperous year. The ambassador pointed out that the Spring Festival is listed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, making it a globally-shared celebration.
He emphasised that celebrating it in Tunisia testifies to the deep cultural sharing and civilisational openness between the two countries. Wan Li underlined that last year, artisans, artists, and chefs from Chengdu in southwest China had been hosted in Tunisia, while this year, artists from Gansu Province in northwest China are performing. The ambassador described Gansu as a historic hub along the Silk Road, rich in world heritage, including the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang with their precious murals and manuscripts representing the peak of Eastern Buddhist art. These murals, music, and dances, long buried in time, were brought to life on stage in a performance showcasing China's ancient civilisation.
He further pointed out that 2026 coincides with the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, praising Tunisia as a key friend and partner with a rich civilisation bridging Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He stated that the countries share civilisational visions aligned with Chinese President Xi Jinping's initiative on global civilisation, promoting the preservation of ancient cultural roots alongside innovation, dialogue, and cooperation for global peace and human development.
He voiced hope that the performance would give the Tunisian audience a deeper understanding of Chinese culture while offering the Chinese community in Tunisia a sense of homeland warmth, and thanked the Tunisian Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Opera Theatre administration for their support, expressing willingness to cement the strategic partnership between Tunisia and China.
The audience then enjoyed a high-level artistic performance by the Gansu Art Troupe, renowned for preserving traditional Chinese music and arts while presenting them in contemporary creative forms. The performance featured traditional musical pieces played on ancient Chinese instruments, alongside dance pieces inspired by folk traditions, depicting daily life, festive rituals, and inherited legends, reflecting China's rich and diverse cultural heritage.
The show concluded with a musical piece symbolising cultural sharing, as the troupe performed the famous Tunisian song 'Yalli Boo'dek Dhayaa' Fikri' by late singer Saliha using traditional Chinese instruments, earning enthusiastic applause for its artistic fusion of Tunisian music and Chinese instruments, expressing cross-cultural dialogue.
The Chinese Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, is one of the oldest and most important traditional holidays in China, symbolising renewal, new beginnings, and family reunion, while conveying universal values of optimism, peace, and hope. It is deeply rooted in music and dance traditions, which serve as expressions of Chinese cultural identity and collective memory.
The event testifies to the strong long-standing relations binding Tunisia and China, dating back to January 10, 1964, when diplomatic relations were established. Tunisia was among the first African countries to formally establish relations with China, a partnership that continues to grow through dialogue, cooperation, and cultural sharing between the two peoples.