While many people here in the U.S. celebrated the start of a new year when the Gregorian calendar flipped from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, as many as 2 billion people from Asian cultures around the globe will begin to observe the Lunar New Year鈥攁lso known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival鈥攖his week.

On Jan. 29, we bid farewell to the Year of the Dragon and usher in the Year of the Snake, which, according to the Chinese Zodiac, represents harvest, spirituality and good fortune. Lunar New Year celebrations last up to 15 days and include such various customs as gathering with family, preparing traditional foods, artistic performances and the gifting of red envelopes to pass on good fortune and blessings to the younger generations.

For international students on campus looking for a taste of home or for anyone who simply wants to celebrate a new beginning based on the lunar calendar, check out the following selection of Lunar New Year events being held on campus.

Tuesday, Jan. 28鈥擜sian American Journalists Association Celebration

The will hold a Lunar New Year Celebration in Newhouse 1 Room 303 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There will be fun activities, delicious food and an amazing night planned for all!

Wednesday, Jan. 29: Food Services Pop-Up

Campus Dining centers will host pop-up events in all dining centers at dinnertime, with a build-your-own stir fry station featuring noodles, rice and extra toppings; dumplings and spring rolls.

Wednesday, Jan. 29: Newhouse International Students Association Tabling Event

The will host a tabling event in food.com, located on the second floor of Newhouse 3, from noon to 1 pm. Stop by to get your lucky red envelope and Asian treats to celebrate the Year of the Snake.

Friday, Jan. 31: School of Architecture Lunar New Year Celebration

A will be held in Slocum Hall from 5 to 7:30 p.m., organized by international students in the and Dean Michael Speaks.听Students can engage in a wide range of activities, such as knot tying, calligraphy, fortune scratch-offs, Chinese horoscopes and a photo booth. There will also be musical and vocal performances and a dancing dragon. Food, chocolate coins and traditional candies, and tea with Dean Speaks will be served.听A series of short faculty presentations on East Asian culture and architecture will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 31: Orange After Dark/Center for International Services Lunar New Year Celebration

听The campus community is invited to celebrate the Lunar New Year with Orange After Dark and the from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. in 304 ABC Schine Student Center.听There will be a light Chinese buffet and activities, including making a Chinese lucky knot, creating PaperCut, origami, Wish Tree, chopstick bean relay race and calligraphy. Tickets can be obtained through the .

Friday, Feb. 7: Chinese United Student Association and Chinese Student and Scholars Association Chinese New Year Party

The and the will host a Chinese New Year Party at 6 p.m. in the Schine Student Center鈥檚 Goldstein Auditorium. There will be programs relating to Chinese culture, dance, martial arts and music.

Share Your Lunar New Year Photos With Us!

However you decide to celebrate鈥攚hether at the events mentioned above or elsewhere鈥攕end your photos to SU News! Email听newsphoto@syr.edu听and we鈥檒l share a selection of Lunar New Year pictures in the weeks to come.

While many people here in the U.S. celebrated the start of a new year when the Gregorian calendar flipped from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, as many as 2 billion people from Asian cultures around the globe joyfully observe the Lunar New Year鈥攕ometimes also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival.

On Feb. 10, we will bid farewell to the Year of the Rabbit and usher in the Year of the Dragon, which according to the Chinese Zodiac represents nobility, confidence and strength. Lunar New Year celebrations last up to 16 days and can include such various customs as gathering with family, preparing traditional foods, artistic performances and the gifting of red envelopes to pass on good fortune and blessings to the younger generations.

For international students on campus looking for a little taste of home or for anyone who simply wants to celebrate a new beginning based on the lunar calendar, check out the following selection of Lunar New Year events being held on campus.

Feb. 2: Chinese Union Spring Gala

On Friday, Feb. 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. the campus community is invited to Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center for a celebration hosted by registered student organization (RSO) . The gala features 15 student performances showcasing pop music, dancing and traditional Chinese folk song, and culinary delights offered in collaboration with a local top-tier Chinese restaurant.

鈥淕athering together to commemorate the festival is crucial for alleviating homesickness and fostering a sense of togetherness,鈥� says Chinese Union President Ruohan Xu 鈥�24.

Feb. 5-9: Food Services Pop-Ups

Campus dining centers will host pop-up events all week celebrating the Lunar New Year with a selection of dumplings, egg rolls and authentic sauces served during lunchtime! The schedule is as follows:

• Monday, Feb. 5: Graham
• Tuesday, Feb. 6: Shaw
• Wednesday, Feb. 7: Sadler
• Thursday, Feb. 8: Brockway
• Friday, Feb. 9: Ernie Davis

Feb. 8: Newhouse School Lunar New Year Celebration

Students in the Newhouse School of Public Communications will hold a tabling event inside Food.com on Thursday, Feb 8, from noon to 1 p.m. Anyone passing through the building is welcome to stop by to enjoy a treat of Asian snacks and candies provided in red envelopes!

Feb. 9: School of Architecture Lunar New Year Celebration

On Friday, Feb. 9, a will be held in Slocum Hall from 5:15 to 7:30 p.m., organized by international students in the School of Architecture and Dean Michael Speaks.

The Slocum Hall atrium will be transformed into a festival-like atmosphere where students can take a break from the pressures of studio life and engage in activities such as knot tying, zodiac study, paper cutting and a photo booth. Dumplings, spring rolls, fried rice, chocolate coins and traditional candies will be served.

Also of note, a series of short presentations about East Asian culture and architecture by architecture faculty will begin at 5:30 p.m. A recording of this video will be made available following the event.

Feb. 9: Asian American Journalists Association Dinner

Another RSO, the Syracuse chapter of the , will host a Lunar New Year dinner that is open to all! The event will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the I3 Center of Newhouse 3.

Feb. 10: Chinese Students and Scholars Association New Year Gala

On Saturday, Feb. 10, the RSO (CSSA) will host its annual Chinese New Year gala, a tradition dating back to the group鈥檚 founding in 2000. From 6 to 10 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center, patrons can enjoy a variety of singing and dancing programs and games to invite happiness in the new year.

鈥淲e host this event to give Chinese students studying in the United States the warmth of home, but also to promote our Chinese culture to students from other countries,鈥� says CSSA President Jiayi Xu 鈥�27. 鈥淚t is also a platform for students to show their talents and skills in after-school life.鈥�

Feb. 10: Orange After Dark/Center for International Services Lunar New Year Celebration

The campus community is invited to the Panasci Lounge and 304 ABC Schine Student Center from 9 p.m. to midnight for the Orange After Dark/Center for International Services Lunar New Year celebration. The evening includes such activities as a calligraphy workshop, origami workshop, Chinese coin decorating, Kahoot trivia, a Lunar New Year selfie station and more! Traditional Chinese food and refreshments will be provided. Please if you plan to attend.

Share Your Lunar New Year Photos With Us!

However you decide to celebrate鈥攚hether at the events mentioned above or elsewhere鈥攕end your photos to SU News! Email newsphoto@syr.edu and we鈥檒l share a selection of Lunar New Year pictures in the weeks to come.

Celebrated nationally in May, 网爆门 hosts the annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month celebration in April so all on campus can join in honoring the histories, cultural diversity, identities and contributions of AAPI communities. Coordinated by the AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee, with support from Multicultural Affairs, the Center for International Services and Student Living, this year鈥檚 calendar features a spanning speakers, exhibits, performances and student organization events. The theme for this year鈥檚 celebration is 鈥淐ommunity Coming Together: Strength in Unity.鈥�

鈥淭he theme鈥檚 concept represents our diverse AAPI community uniting across our differences and to show that we are a strong voice that can face our challenges together,鈥� says Lia Jiening Fu Margolis 鈥�23, a student in the School of Architecture and member of the planning committee. 鈥淥ur goal is to bring together the community of folx within and allies to the AAPI diaspora through diverse cultural, educational and fun events.鈥�

The is scheduled for Friday, March 31, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the first floor atrium of Schine Student Center. The event will feature AAPI student organizations and campus departments tabling, Asian cuisine, a program about the month鈥檚 events, student performances and display of the annual Anti-Asian Hate Crime Exhibit. The month continues with Orange After Dark events, the featuring Sharon Lee 鈥�14, G鈥�15, a , a and much more. This year鈥檚 annual will also take place during AAPI Heritage Month on Sunday, April 2.

The committee will welcome Hua Hsu, a staff writer with The New Yorker and bestselling author, as this year鈥檚 on Thursday, April 20. Hsu鈥檚 memoir, 鈥淪tay True,鈥� touches on the immigrant experience and growing up Asian American and explores grief, pop culture, being young and how friendship helps us discover who we are. Hsu weaves his story with wider questions of diversity and culture, proving that 鈥渨e aren鈥檛 alone, and we never have been.鈥� A meet-and-greet and book signing will follow the event.

鈥淗ua Hsu is an incredible author and his newest book 鈥楽tay True鈥� encapsulates the many interwoven and complex stories and feelings of being AAPI. The memoir references the immigrant experience while also being a coming-of-age story that explores larger questions of culture and diversity,鈥� says Margolis. 鈥淚 hope attendees are inspired by seeing a fellow AAPI figure create an inclusive space for discussion about diverse experiences and find unity within an amazing community.鈥�

For more information and complete event details, visit the .

Over the past two weeks, numerous celebrations were held on campus to help usher in the Year of the Rabbit, which began Jan. 22 based on the lunar calendar.

Celebratory events were hosted by the Newhouse School and School of Architecture, in addition to two galas produced by student organizations and a special Orange After Dark co-hosted by Sigma Psi Zeta sorority and the Center for International Services. The events presented the opportunity to share Chinese culture鈥攊ncluding performance arts, cuisine and time-honored traditions鈥攚ith the entire campus community. The photos below capture some of the joy and expression of the holiday.