By Michela Gritti
UNC Pembroke is home to more than 260 international students, many from countries where the Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations, including China, Vietnam, and South Korea. Students from other parts of the world also celebrate it, keeping their traditions alive no matter where they are.
This year, the Lunar New Year begins on Feb. 17, 2026, ushering in the Year of the Horse, specifically the Fire Horse. In the zodiac, the horse represents energy, speed, freedom, confidence, charisma, and independence. The fire element adds dynamism, passion and intensity, marking the momentum for new and great beginnings.
To mark the occasion, UNCP’s Office of Global Engagement is planning an event on Feb. 17 at the UC Mall. The celebration will give local students to get a bite of what that gorgeous celebration looks like, and foreign ones to feel at home. The event will feature traditional decorations, rituals, and celebrations, along with educational displays about the meaning and history of the Lunar New Year.
The Lunar New Year follows the lunar calendar, which tracks the moon’s cycles. Unlike the solar calendar, the date changes each year, usually falling in late January or early February. Many Asian cultures celebrate it as one of the most important holidays of the year.
Traditions include honoring ancestors, cleaning homes to sweep away bad luck, visiting relatives, and sharing meals to bring happiness and success in the year ahead. Red decorations are common, symbolizing joy and luck, and families often share meaningful foods like noodles, sweet rice cakes, and dumplings, meant to bring prosperity and fortune. Parades and dragon dances are also popular and are meant to send away bad luck. Red envelopes containing money are given to children to bring good luck.
Each Lunar New Year is associated with one of the 12 zodiac animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. People believe the animal for the year influences its qualities and energy.
“Lunar New Year helps families connect, honor their cultures, and bring hope into the new year,” said Rosa Ball, Assistant Director of International Student Engagement, who lived in an Asian country for several years. “It also teaches the importance of tradition and community, which, not surprisingly, are also pillars of our university.”
To prepare for the event and to collect data regarding campus’ demographic, student are invited to write the animal they represent, according to the Lunar New Year Zodiac, on the whiteboard located at the entrance of Mary Livermore Library.