Global Celebrations Mark Bittersweet End to 2025, Hope for Peaceful 2026

As the world bid farewell to 2025, people around the globe gathered to celebrate the start of a new year, marked by a mix of joy and somber reflections. The festivities kicked off on islands near the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean, including Kiritimati, Tonga, and New Zealand, where the first strokes of midnight rang in the new year. In Sydney, Australia, a spectacular fireworks display lit up the sky, stretching 7 km across buildings and barges along the harbour. The event was held under an enhanced police presence following a recent attack that killed 15 people. Organizers observed a minute's silence for the victims, with the Harbour Bridge illuminated in white and a menorah projected onto its pylons. Seoul's Bosingak bell pavilion echoed with the traditional 33 chimes at midnight, symbolizing the 33 heavens and dispelling misfortune. The bell striking was rooted in Buddhist cosmology and welcomed peace and prosperity for the year ahead. In China, drum performances and celebrations took place at the Juyong Pass, near Beijing, as revellers donned headgear and waved boards emblazoned with '2026' and the symbol of a horse. February marks the arrival of the Year of the Horse on the Chinese lunar calendar. However, the annual New Year's fireworks display in Hong Kong was called off due to the recent apartment complex blaze that claimed 161 lives. Instead, a light show with the theme 'New hopes, new beginnings' transformed facades in the Central district. Croatia's Fuzine town began its countdown at noon, a tradition that has spread across the country. Crowds cheered, toasted each other with champagne, and danced to music in the middle of the day. Some brave souls took an icy plunge into Lake Bajer. Meanwhile, Brazil is gearing up to break a Guinness World Record with a massive music and fireworks party on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Organizers are setting up stages and security barriers ahead of the crowds that will flock to Times Square for the annual ball drop in New York. In Ukraine and Russia, people expressed hopes for peace after nearly four years of conflict. A woman in Moscow said she wished for the war to end, while a 9-year-old Ukrainian girl, Olesia, remained optimistic, saying she thought there would be peace in the new year.