Join Us for Giant Chinese New Year Celebration

The Chinese New Year, which begins on Saturday 10 February 2024, marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle and is celebrated by communities around the world.

Unlike most other calendars, the Chinese calendar does not count years in an infinite sequence. Instead, years have names that are repeated every 60 years and correspond to five repeats of the Chinese zodiac cycle of 12 animals. 2024 will give way to the year of the Dragon – a symbol of strength, courage, and good fortune.

The Chinese Welfare Association is committed to securing the future of the Chinese community in Northern Ireland within a framework of racial equality, enabling all sections of the community to fully participate in the development of both local communities and wider society.

Placing seven key aims at its core – enabling and supporting community development, providing social and health services, empowering children and young people to realise their full potential, developing cultural awareness, securing the resources and facilities needed to achieve the organisation’s objectives, providing leadership and mentorship to other BME communities, and support and strengthen links between Northern Ireland and China – the Chinese Welfare Association provides an array of services, such as community development, training, and community interpreting.

One of the Chinese Welfare Association’s key services is the Chinese Resource Centre of Northern Ireland – a state-of-the-art facility situated on the banks of the River Lagan on the Ormeau Embankment – that offers a multi-purpose hall, training rooms, library, conference rooms, creche, and playground. The centre aims to enhance diversity and develop the participation of Chinese people in all aspects of social, cultural, economic, and public life across Northern Ireland.

In support of the organisation’s commitment across local communities in Northern Ireland, all profits from the game night Shirt Off The Back raffle on Sunday 4 February 2024 will be donated to the Chinese Welfare Association. Shirt Off The Back tickets can be purchased from dedicated sellers around the concourse at The SSE Arena, Belfast from doors opening on game day. Tickets for the game are available to purchase here.

For more information about the Chinese Welfare Association, please click here.