As the world welcomes 2025, New Year’s celebrations have been in full swing in other parts of the world, with fireworks, parades, and other festivities marking the occasion.
Auckland, New Zealand, was the first major city to ring in the new year, with thousands of revelers counting down to midnight and cheering at a colorful fireworks display launched from the city’s tallest structure, the Sky Tower. A spectacular downtown light show also recognized Auckland’s Indigenous tribes, following a year marked by protests over Māori rights.
Even earlier, the tiny island of Kiritimati in Kiribati, a Pacific island nation, had welcomed the new year with traditional celebrations, including music, dancing, and feasting. As the first inhabited place on Earth to enter 2025, Kiritimati set the tone for a global celebration that would span time zones and cultures.
In Japan, the New Year, or Oshogatsu, is a significant holiday where people visit shrines and temples to pray for good luck, health, and happiness. They participate in traditional activities, such as hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year, and nengajo, the exchange of New Year’s postcards. Traditional foods like mochi and soba noodles are also eaten during this time.
Australia’s iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge was the backdrop for a traditional fireworks display, accompanied by a singalong led by British pop star Robbie Williams. Indigenous ceremonies and performances acknowledged the land’s first people.
In Jakarta, a dazzling fireworks display, including a drone show featuring 800 drones, will be followed by countdowns to midnight at the city’s iconic Hotel Indonesia Roundabout.
In South Korea, the New Year, known as Seollal, is a significant traditional holiday that commemorates the first day of the lunisolar calendar.
However, celebrations were cut back or canceled as the country observes a period of national mourning following the recent plane crash that killed 179 people.
As the world celebrates the start of a new year, Nigerians look forward to joining in the festivities, marking a time for renewal, reflection, and new beginnings.
