The recent Spring Festival celebration held at the United Nations headquarters is both entertaining and thought-provoking with highlights such as a captivating performance of Beijing Opera in showcasing cultural exchange.

The performance of excerpts from two masterpieces of Beijing Opera by a duo of juvenile students of the famous Chinese traditional performing art, featuring intricate costumes, graceful movements and expressive storytelling, won resounding applause at the gala hosted by the UN Chinese Book Club on Friday night.

Zhang Jingwen, 10, and Wei Jiahe, 9, had traveled all the way from Beijing to give the performance, as part of a showcase of Chinese cultural heritage as well as cultural exchange, by bringing a vivid slice of China's rich artistic tradition to the international stage.

Their performance added a vibrant touch to an evening replete with reflections on global unity and renewal represented by the spirit of the upcoming Lunar Year of the Snake, as shown in addresses made by Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN and some of the senior UN officials on the occasion.

Speaking to an audience of over 500 gathering for the celebration gala, Fu extended heartfelt New Year greetings and expressed gratitude to all those who have supported the UN's mission and China's ongoing collaboration with the global body.