The year of the Dog was ushered in with a very festive celebration by the Malaysian community in Paris. The chilly weather did not dampen the joyous mood of the many Malaysians who came together on Saturday, 17 February 2018 to celebrate Chinese New Year. There was a vibrant wave of red as the ladies arrived in their beautiful cheongsam and the men, not to be outdone, donned their colourful Chinese sam.
The annual CNY luncheon was organized by the Malaysian Association in France (MAF) and was held at Le President Restaurant in Belleville, Paris. The event was attended by Malaysia’s Ambassador to France, H.E. Datuk Ibrahim Abdullah and also French ex-Minister, Mr. Olivier Stern, among others. The event was also graced by the presence of the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, YB Dato' Sri Rohani Abdul Karim, who rushed straight from the airport and was in town for a UNESCO Meeting.
In his speech, H.E. Datuk Ibrahim said that it’s his second time celebrating CNY with everyone here in Paris and he was delighted to see the gathering of many Malaysians to enjoy this auspicious day together. He lauded MAF’s good work in preserving and strengthening camaraderie among Malaysians in France.
While enjoying a wide selection of scrumptious Chinese delicacies, guests were entertained with a myriad of performances including the ancient Chinese art of face-changing, Malaysian martial arts, wushu and some cultural dance. Guests also enjoyed “yee sang” tossing ceremony led by the President of MAF. In keeping with tradition, tombola draw was held in which two lucky winners won the top prize of return flight tickets to Kuala Lumpur courtesy of Oman Air.
