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UNESCO inscribes Spring Festivalon intangible cultural heritage list, promotingexchanges and mutual learning among civilizations

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By He Yin, People’s Daily

 

On December 4, Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

 

The announcement was made during the 19th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Asuncion, Paraguay. At the session, vivid displays of cultural elements related to the Spring Festival, such as couplets, dragon dance, and Chinese knots, accompanied by melodies full of Spring Festival flavor, brought the festival’s rich traditions to life.

 

The successful inscription highlights the growing global appeal of traditional Chinese culture and the values embedded inChinese civilization.

 

As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out, New Year’s Eve and the Spring Festival are traditional festivals of the Chinese nation and days for families to reunite and ring in the Lunar New Year.He underscored the importance of this traditional festival in Chinese culture.

 

The Spring Festival represents the unique cultural and emotional DNA of the Chinese people. It is the most influential among all traditional Chinese festivals due to its profound cultural significance, rich customs, and widespread participation.

 

The festival plays an important role in maintaining and strengthening the emotional bonds between individuals, families, and the nation, while also promotingcore values at the heart of Chinese civilization, such as peace, concord, and harmony. Itstands as a powerful reminder of humanity’s shared values, including family harmony, social inclusiveness, and the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, contributing greatly to the continuity ofChinese civilization.

 

The world’s cultural and natural heritage is an important outcome of the development of human civilization and natural evolution, and an important vehicle for the exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

 

The Spring Festival embodies peace, amity and harmony which are values cherished by the Chinese nation and civilization, making it a festival that is meaningful for China and can be enjoyed by the world.

 

In 2023, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism initiated the campaign to apply for UNESCO’s recognition of the Spring Festival. In August of the same year, Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, became the only Chinese application for UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024.

 

The application includes a wide array of Spring Festival traditions across the country, such as pasting Spring Festival couplets, displayingNew Year paintings, eating steamed bun with colorful patterns, and visiting temple fairs.

 

The recognition by UNESCOunderscores China’s commitment to strengthening the protection, preservation, and utilization of cultural and natural heritage. It has positive significance for the building of Chinese modernization that features material and cultural-ethical advancement, and adds new luster to world civilizations.

 

Nancy Ovelarde Gorostiaga,Paraguay’s permanent representative to UNESCO and chair of the meeting, congratulated China on the successful inscription. “China is the example that many countries should follow in order to try to safeguard their heritage, culture and traditions,” she said.

 

The successful inscriptionalso represents a practical step in China’s commitment to implementing the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. It willsubstantially foster harmonious coexistence among civilizations and increase understanding and friendship among peoples.

 

Starting from 2024, the Spring Festival has been officially listed as a UN floating holiday in its calendar of conferences and meetings; it is a public holiday in almost 20 countries and celebrated in various ways by about one-fifth of humanity.

 

Besides, Happy Spring Festival activities and other cultural events hosted by China to celebrate the festival have reached nearly 200 countries and regions.UN Secretary-General has extended Spring Festival greetings on many occasions, and leaders of many countries have joined Spring Festival celebrations.

 

Thistraditional Chinese festival has become a widely accepted, recognized, and appreciated symbol of Chinese culture. People across the world share the joy and festive vibe while experiencing the vibrancy and inclusiveness of Chinese culture during Spring Festival celebrations.

 

UNESCO’s recognitionwill help more people worldwide learn about the festival and the values it embodies, building a bridge for exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations.

 

Cultural heritage is aglobal treasure that belongs to all of humanity. China will take the successful inclusion of the Spring Festival on the UNESCO list as a new starting point to better protect and carry forward the cultural values and essence inherent in the Spring Festival. In this way, the Chinese civilization, together with the rich and colorful civilizations created by the peoples of other countries, will provide humanity with the rightcultural guidance andstrong motivation.

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Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America

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The Trump administration has initiated sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters, effectively dismantling institutions long seen as critical for American influence abroad.

 

On Sunday, contractors working for VOA received an email notification that their employment would be terminated by the end of March. “You must cease all work immediately and are not permitted to access any agency buildings or systems,” the email read, according to multiple staff members who confirmed the development.

 

The move, which comes just a day after all employees were placed on administrative leave, disproportionately affects non-English-language services, where contractors make up a significant portion of the workforce. Many of these contractors are not U.S. citizens and may now face visa issues, further complicating their status in the country.

 

While most full-time staff remain employed for now, they have been told not to work, leaving VOA and its sister organizations in a state of uncertainty. Some services, unable to produce new programming, have resorted to playing music.

 

VOA, founded during World War II, has been a critical tool for U.S. public diplomacy, broadcasting in 49 languages to audiences in countries where press freedom is restricted. However, President Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of broader federal budget cuts.

 

The cuts extend beyond VOA, affecting other U.S.-funded media entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda (which broadcasts in Persian to Iran), and Alhurra, an Arabic-language network launched after the 2003 Iraq invasion. The administration argues that taxpayers should not fund what it calls “radical propaganda,” despite VOA’s longstanding editorial independence.

 

Liam Scott, a VOA journalist covering press freedom and disinformation, expressed concern over the decision. “I’ve covered press freedom for a long time, and I’ve never seen something like what’s happened in the U.S. over the past couple of months,” he wrote on social media.

 

The move has drawn international attention, particularly from China and Russia, which have been expanding their own state-funded media efforts. The Chinese state-run *Global Times* reacted with an editorial declaring that “the monopoly of information held by traditional Western media is being shattered.”

 

Trump’s administration has pursued aggressive cuts across federal agencies, including eliminating most foreign aid and significantly reducing the Department of Education. With input from tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump has focused on reducing government size to facilitate tax cuts.

 

As the global media landscape shifts, the dismantling of U.S.-funded broadcasters leaves a vacuum that could be filled by rival state-controlled networks. Whether Congress or legal challenges will intervene remains to be seen, but for now, the future of America’s international broadcasting efforts hangs in the balance.

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Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

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A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport migrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under a wartime law.

US District Judge James Boasberg issued a restraining order preventing the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel undocumented migrants accused of gang ties. The order initially protected five individuals challenging the deportation but was later expanded to all affected noncitizens in US custody.

Boasberg also directed that any planes carrying these migrants be returned to the United States. “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned,” he ruled. The restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days or until further court action.

The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, citing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization that has “unlawfully infiltrated the United States” and is engaging in hostile actions. However, civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that the gang’s activities do not meet the legal definition of an invasion.

The Justice Department has appealed the ruling, while the case continues in court.

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China’s new chapter in global innovation

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By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily

At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.

Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.

In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.

China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.

Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.

Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.

Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.

Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.

Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.

In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.

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