A special cultural event celebrating China's lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, kicked off on Monday at the China Pavilion at the Dubai Expo, showcasing the Chinese culture and nature preservation efforts.

Children greets visitors to the China Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on Jan. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Kaixiang)

The highlights of the event included an elephant-related exhibition, live video streaming of giant pandas, Chinese costume music flash mob, and Spring Festival couplets giveaway, allowing the expo-goers to know China better and enjoy the festive mood of the Chinese New Year.

Outside the China Pavilion, the elephant exhibition records the 110-day adventure in summer 2021 of a herd of 14 wild Asian elephants wandering across south China's Yunnan Province, which aroused worldwide attention.

The herd's unexpected encounter with the local residents tells about a moving story of harmonious co-existence between humans and animals, which also demonstrates the great efforts made by China on conservation and care of nature.

The "Giant Panda Chinese New Year Concert," an animated short film produced by China's iPanda TV channel, won applause as the chubby pandas played traditional Chinese music instruments including Pipa and Guzheng.

Chinese calligraphers handed out Chinese Lunar New Year couplets, while workers wearing ancient Chinese costumes embroidered with auspicious elements such as gourds, persimmons and koi gave visitors a deeper sense of the Chinese culture.

Themed "Experience China - Into Dubai Expo," the event was hosted by the State Council Information Office of China and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.