Lantern Festival Lights, Celebrating Reunion — [Family Love China · Spring Festival Across the Seas] Thanks the Warmest Hearts

秘书处
Mar 7
3 min read

Office of the Secretariat - Mabel ｜ March 3rd, 2026

Lanterns Lighting Every Home - Saluting Our Volunteers

As the full moon brings reunion and warmth, we share this beautiful evening together. As the Lantern Festival of the Bingwu Year of the Horse approaches, we look back to the “Family Love China · Spring Festival Gala Across the Seas” performance held in Melbourne on February 25. In the end, thousands of words can be summed up in one sentence: thank you to every one of you who brought warmth to this event.

President Derrick Chen of the Federation of Chinese Associations Victoria (FCA), arrived at the theatre early. He made a special visit backstage to greet the performing troupe who had traveled from afar, speaking warmly with the artists and expressing his welcome and gratitude. He said with deep emotion: “Our relatives from the motherland have come, and we must make sure our fellow Chinese here truly feel the warmth of home.” This simple sentence expressed the deepest emotional resonance shared by overseas Chinese.

To prepare for this performance, members of the FCA's Council Committee gave up their own Spring Festival holidays and held frequent meetings for more than a month. From coordinating programs and stage design to confirming the venue and arranging ticketing, every detail was carefully discussed and implemented step by step.

On the day of the performance, everyone arrived early to inspect the overall arrangements, repeatedly checking each part of the program. They remained at their posts — welcoming guests, guiding audiences, and assisting backstage. It was precisely this quiet and sincere dedication that made the entire event warmer, more orderly, and deeply moving.

The Council’s volunteers worked tirelessly day and night. Some stayed up for several nights organizing more than a thousand tickets; some handled social media promotion, compiling materials and writing publicity articles; some accompanied the performance troupe to provide logistical support; and others organized hundreds of registration records — all so that more members of the Chinese community could gather joyfully at Melbourne Town Hall to celebrate the Year of the Horse.

On the day of the show, more than 30 volunteers assembled early in the morning. They decorated the venue, tested equipment, and rehearsed the program. Their backs were soaked with sweat, yet their smiles remained bright. At the ticket exchange desk, volunteers patiently answered questions from every guests and helped elderly Chinese residents whom is unfamiliar with smartphones complete their registration — warming the hearts of those far from home with the sound of their shared hometown dialect.

Though Far Apart, We Share This Moment — Tribute to Our Audience

That evening, 1,500 audience filled the Melbourne Town Hall to capacity. Thunderous applause and waves of sing-along voices rose, forming a sea of shared nostalgia for home. When the entire audience sang 《故乡的云》 together, tears glistened in the eyes of many who were far from home, while volunteers standing quietly next to the stage wiped away their tears.

Among the audience were mothers and sons attending hand in hand, families of three generations, elderly grandparents with grey hair, middle-aged parents, young couples, and children humming along. As they sang lines such as “Our great China, such a big family” and “A wide river flows with rolling waves, the wind carries the fragrance of rice flowers along its banks,” the gazes of three generations of Chinese people reflected a shared bond of heritage, affection, and pride.

Jin Xiang, a first-class performer from the Beijing Song and Dance Theatre, began to sing, leading the entire audience to raise their phones. Thousands of lights came together like a galaxy of stars. Amid the joyful atmosphere of the Chinese New Year celebration, everyone shouted in unison: “Happy Chinese New Year, and may our motherland continue to enjoy prosperity and peace.”

More than a hundred messages soon poured into the WeChat Comments:

“Thank you for all the hard work by the Victorian Chinese Community Council,”

“The volunteers are the most wonderful,”

“I miss home, but here I found the feeling of home.”

Every word was heartfelt, every sentence warm.

We extend our sincere thanks to President Chen for his dedicated leadership, to every volunteer for their selfless contributions, and to the 1,500 audience for their enthusiastic participation. It was all of you who made this evening so complete; it was all of you who allowed Chinese culture to shine brightly in a foreign land.

Tonight, on the Lantern Festival, the full moon shines over Melbourne. May that bright full moon illuminate the path of reunion for you and your loved ones.

The Federation of Chinese Associations (VIC) will always be your warm harbor in Australia. Wishing everyone a Happy Lantern Festival, good health for your family, with happiness and fulfillment all around. 🌕✨