Dear resident,
Lunar New Year truly is a global celebration!
Traced back in Chinese History – as early as the period of Chinese ruler Emperor Yao (2356-2255 BC), the annual festival is now marked by more than a quarter of the world’s population. As tradition goes, the occasion is centred around removing the bad and the old and welcoming in the new and the good.
And our City is very much a cultural hub when it comes to observing this important occasion. We have an incredibly diverse Asian community here in Canterbury-Bankstown and we embrace their cultures, customs and beliefs. That’s why we are celebrating both the Chinese Year of the Rabbit and the Vietnamese Year of the Cat.
In Chinese culture, the rabbit is quiet, gentle, elegant, alert and responsible. The festival was originally a ceremonial day to pray to gods for a good planting and harvest season.
While for the Vietnamese community, the Cat is the fourth animal symbol in the 12-year cycle of the Vietnamese and Gurung zodiac. In Vietnamese culture, during Lunar New Year, families reunite and honour their ancestors, while praying for luck, prosperity and health.
I’m proud to be part of a community that embraces all cultures and it was great to see so many join us at our Bankstown Lunar New Year Festival. The traditional lion dance, dragon parade and fire twirling made for an exciting spectacle, and there was no shortage of delicious food on offer. And on display, a giant inflatable Rabbit and Cat, to symbolise the significance of both animals in the Chinese and Vietnamese zodiacs.
But the celebrations don’t end there! On Saturday 4 February, Campsie’s Anzac Mall will be transformed into a colourful and festive place for our Lunar Noodle Markets. There’ll be plenty of delicious Asian cuisines on offer, along with cultural entertainment and of course, the God and Goddess of fortune handing out lucky envelopes.
I hope the Lunar New Year has plenty of good fortune, happiness and health in store for you.
Yours sincerely,
Clr Khal Asfour
MAYOR
The World Observer Media produces a daily online newspaper, a daily Arabic online newspaper and a monthly printed Arabic/English magazine and a weekly printed Arabic/English newspaper.
The World Observer Media’s mission is to entertain and educate all generation from the Ethnic Communities in Australia, who are interested in local, national and foreign information. 
