On February 24th, the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, built and just renovated by a Chinese fund, was full of Chinese New Year adornments such as Chinese traditional lanterns and knots. The 2018 Chinese New Year and the 4th Fish and Dragon Festival Street Fair co-hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Barbados and the Barbados Central Bank was successfully held at the Gymnasium which attracted more than 4000 local people and tourists who were in attendance.
H.E. Yan Xiusheng, the Chinese Ambassador to Barbados and Ms. Michelle Doyle-Lowe, Deputy Governor of the Barbados Central Bank marked the lions’ eyes before the official starting of the event. The Chinese Embassy, the Chinese Community in Barbados, the Confucius Institute of the U.W.I. Cave Hill Campus, Chinese Medical Team and Chinese Companies in Barbados separately set up booths to introduce the Chinese Spring Festival culture, distribute books introducing Chinese culture, provide health care consultant and highlight the agenda of the cooperative projects between China and Barbados. The Beautiful Tianjin Arte Troupe presented a fantastic performance including acrobatics, singing, dancing and playing of Chinese instruments which attracted waves of cheers and applause from the audience.
The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, The Advocate, The Nation, Barbados Today and other local media also made reports on this gala performance.