The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Children's New Year concert premiered on Dec 22, 2024, at the Zhongshan Concert Hall in Beijing.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Children's New Year Concert premiered last night at the Zhongshan Concert Hall in Beijing.

The event was attended by SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming, Secretary-General-elect Nurlan Yermekbayev, as well as representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Beijing Municipal Government, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, ambassadors and diplomats from SCO member states, their families, children from various countries, and representatives from Chinese and international media were also present.

This concert marked a historic first for the SCO, being the inaugural Children's New Year Concert since its founding. It was organized as a key cultural exchange initiative during China's tenure as the SCO's rotating presidency for 2024-2025.

Children from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other SCO member states delivered captivating performances of musical pieces that reflected their national traditions and showcased timeless classics.

Highlights of the concert included the Polovtsian dance "On Wings of Song," the Chinese pipa solo "Ambush from Ten Sides," a Kazakh dombra performance, and the tango "Por una Cabeza." The passionate performances of these "young musicians" earned thunderous applause from the audience. The evening concluded with the Beijing Youth Golden Sail Symphony Orchestra playing the SCO anthem, symbolizing the shared vision of the "SCO family" to build a harmonious future together.

As the first Children's New Year Concert in SCO history, the event not only celebrated cultural diversity but also underscored the importance of fostering mutual understanding and friendship among the next generation in SCO member states.

At the SCO Children's New Year Concert, children from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other SCO member states delivered captivating performances of musical pieces that reflected their national traditions and showcased timeless classics.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

At the SCO Children's New Year Concert, children from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other SCO member states delivered captivating performances of musical pieces that reflected their national traditions and showcased timeless classics.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

At the SCO Children's New Year Concert, children from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other SCO member states delivered captivating performances of musical pieces that reflected their national traditions and showcased timeless classics.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

At the SCO Children's New Year Concert, children from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other SCO member states delivered captivating performances of musical pieces that reflected their national traditions and showcased timeless classics.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

At the SCO Children's New Year Concert, children from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other SCO member states delivered captivating performances of musical pieces that reflected their national traditions and showcased timeless classics.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]