The Chinese Lunar New Year homestay program has helped local residents and expatriates experience a meaningful Spring Festival, according to participants and organizers.

Although the homestay program finished officially Jan. 23, it remained a hot topic among the participants.

"The program is a tremendous idea and has given us a springboard to get to know Chinese people and their culture," said Maynard Yutzy, director of the QSI International School of Shekou.

"We'll continue to contact our Chinese host family and it'll be a lifelong friendship for us," Yutzy said.

Some foreign participants also wished they could see more of traditional Chinese culture in a similar homestay program in the years to come.

With the catchword "Shenzhen, Our Sweet Home," a grand gala party at Wuzhou Guesthouse kicked off this year's homestay program Jan. 21.

The party brought together more than 40 local families and more than 140 foreign families from 18 countries including the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

More than 200 foreign experts from various fields were also invited to the party.

On behalf of all local residents, Li Hongzhong, Shenzhen acting mayor, extended his heartfelt thanks and holiday greetings to all expatriates working and living in the city.

"The remarkable achievements Shenzhen has made in urban construction and economic development have a great deal to do with the support and help foreign friends and experts from different countries have given so far," Li said.

"In striving to build itself into an international city, Shenzhen will make greater efforts in future to strengthen cultural exchanges with people from different countries and turn the city into a warm and comfortable home for all expatriates working and living in the city," Li said.

At the gala party, Li, with other municipal leaders and foreign consular officials from Guangzhou, made and ate dumplings together with their guests. saw traditional Chinese folk arts and performances by Chinese and foreigners alike.

When the party was over, more than 80 expatriates from 42 foreign families were taken home by their Chinese host families to celebrate the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival.

The homestay program was co-sponsored by the Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Affairs office, Shenzhen Association for International Cultural Exchanges and local media agencies, including the Shenzhen Daily.

(Shenzhen Daily January 29, 2004)