China Institute Welcomes The Year Of The Pig At Annual Chinese New Year Gala

On Thursday, February 7, China Institute hosted its annual Chinese New Year Gala at the Hwa Yuan Szechuan in New York City to welcome the Year of the Pig. More than 160 guests enjoyed award-winning Chinese cuisine and a scrumptious dessert buffet as well as bespoke Remy XO cocktails by LUCKYRICE.

The evening was filled with a range of rich, festive cultural performances, including a traditional Chinese lion dance and both an auction and raffle for tickets to Hamilton: An American Musical tickets with backstage tour courtesy of The Nederlander Organization. Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of a Proclamation issued by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer proclaiming February 7, 2019 China Institute Lunar New Year Day.

James Heimowitz, the president of China Institute, noted: "At 93 years of age, China Institute may be venerable but it's also the most vibrant 93-year-old on the planet! We're serving more people than ever through our pillars of education, business, art, and culture."

The 2019 Chinese New Year Gala hosted notable guests across a range of industries and government agencies. Key guests included: Dr. Yumin Zhao, Deputy Consul General of the People's Republic of China in New York, Joanne Chu, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York; Scott Pattison, CEO of the National Governors Association; Ed Schoenfeld, owner of Red Farm restaurant; Ansso Wang, formerly American International Group (AIG); Danielle Chang, Founder of LUCKYRICE; Gary Sze Kong, President and Founder of The 1 Wine, Brian Goldberg, Founder of Mr. Bing; Thomas Beraud-Sudreau, Marketing Director of Rémy Cointreau; Karen Zhang of ShanCha Inc. and many others.

Notable members of China Institute's Board of Trustees were also in attendance, including: Chien Chung Pei, Chairman of China Institute and Partner, Pei Partnership Architects; Anla Cheng, Founder and CEO, of SupChina Inc., Jay Collins, Vice Chairman, Corporate and Investment Banking,Citi; John H. Foster, CEO & Managing Director, HealthpointCapital, Mei HE, US-China Youth Education Solutions Foundation, Robert Nederlander, Jr., President and CEO of Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment; Michael H. Krupa, President of Gemdale USA; Pete Walker, Former Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company and others.

In keeping with the traditions of Chinese New Year, China Institute collected red envelope donations from Gala attendees. All proceeds raised will support China Institute's full slate of public programs.

About China Institute

China Institute advances a deeper understanding of China through programs in education, culture, art, and business. China Institute is the go-to resource on China-from ancient art to today's business landscape and its rapidly shifting culture. Our programs, school, and gallery exhibitions bring to life the depth, complexity and dynamism of China. Founded in 1926 by Chinese reformers Hu Shi, K.P. Wen, and John Dewey, China Institute is the oldest bicultural, non-profit organization in America to focus exclusively on China.