KIEV, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A three-day celebration of the Chinese New Year kicked off in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Friday.
During celebrations so far, locals and tourists alike have been treated to a traditional Chinese dragon dance and sky lantern show, among other festive displays.
Lviv, known as the "cultural capital" of Ukraine and a popular destination for tourists, has hosted Chinese New Year celebrations for nine years in a row now.
A fair with traditional Chinese cuisine and souvenirs in the heart of the city, alongside panda statues which are to be decorated by local artists, are among this year's major attractions.
According to Yury Kotyk, head of the festival's organizer the Ukraine-China Research Center, Lan Hua, artists will decorate 15 giant panda statues in different styles, since Lviv's Chinese sister city Chengdu is the ancestral home of China's giant panda population.
"When all the pandas are painted, we will place them in the touristy areas of Lviv, as well as in the buildings of organizations related to the Ukrainian-Chinese friendship," he added.
The primary goal of his organization is to unite the people of China and Ukraine by popularizing their respective cultures, Kotyk said.
