BEIJING
An eastern Chinese city has banned all Christmas-related festivities in schools and kindergartens in a measure to focus on the country’s traditions, according to a state news agency.
Xinhua cited a circular from the education bureau of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, as saying Thursday, “No middle school, primary school or kindergarten may hold any Christmas-themed activity or celebration."
It warned that inspections would be conducted to ensure enforcement.
Zheng Shangzhong, an official at the bureau, said the Christmas ban was not meant to crack down on all Western celebrations, but to counter schools' obsession with them at the expense of Chinese customs, Xinhua reported. He stressed schools’ obligation to educate children about traditions such as the Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Lunar New Year.
On Christmas Eve, students at Northwest University in Shaanxi Province were prevented from participating in Christmas festivities and forced to watch traditional Chinese films instead, with the institution’s official microblog account warning against the fading of local customs.
While some Chinese youth have adopted the fashion of celebrating Christmas by shopping, partying and dining, concerns of cultural invasion have been on the rise.
www.aa.com.tr/en
