It is with great pleasure that I invite Sydney to celebrate and embrace our annual Chinese New Year Festival and welcome in the Year of the Monkey in 2004. The Festival reflects and acknowledges the enormous contribution the Chinese Community makes to our vibrant city as well as attracting thousands of visitors from nations around the world, resonating the broad appeal of the festival across a ll cultures and to visitors to the city. Chinese New Year is traditionally a time of family, reunion and thanksgiving and is celebrated through the passing of another year, finishing with the old and welcoming in the new. The Festival is celebrated with an abundance of colour and enthusiasm and is continuing to expand each year due to the widespread popularity of the exciting events and performances from local and international artists. As part of our long-term partnership with Sydney’s Chinese Community, the City of Sydney’s support for the Festival is now in its eighth year and we are proud to have nurtured this event through its formative years to become a signature event on our annual calendar. I look forward to a fantastic Year of the Monkey and wish everyone a Happy New Year.
