A great variety of events were planned to celebrate the Chinese New Year, featuring parades, traditional dances and martial art shows across Italy from Feb. 18 to March 8.

For many Italians, the Chinese New Year is a festival not only for ethnic Chinese, but also a good opportunity for cultural exchanges that enhance mutual understanding of China and other countries and Chinese immigrants' integration into their countries of residence.

Manuela Lazarotti, a 47 year-old state employee, told Xinhua she had followed the festival's activities on Italian state television Rai and was very much impressed.

"The Chinese celebration in Italy proves that peaceful coexistence between different ethnic groups is possible as long as there is mutual respect," she said.

Lazzarotti said she was surprised by the level of integration of Chinese immigrants in Italy, and some second generation of Chinese residents seem to feel more Italian than Chinese.

She cited the example of a young Chinese girl, who said she preferred celebrating New Year in Western rather than the traditional Chinese style during an interview by Italian television.

To carry on their cultural heritage in the process of integration is probably one of the motives for organizers of Chinese New Year celebrations.

Colorful celebrations were held in major cities with high concentration of Chinese immigrants, such as Rome, Naples, Milan and Venice.

For Gianni Di Riamondo, a 55-year-old manager, the celebrations of the Chinese New Year in Italy offered an occasion to "get to know each other better."

"The benefit is two-fold: on one hand Italians discover and enjoy a great festivity of the Chinese community. On the other hand, Chinese people living in Italy can freely celebrate their own traditions here as if they were at home though they are far away from their homeland," he said.

"Events like the Chinese New Year celebrations further help the process of integration and demonstrate the good relations between Chinese people and Italians."

Susanna Rovere, 24-year-old university student, said she loved to join the Chinese festivity. "I enjoy the music, the dragon dances and bright colors of the parades,"she said.

"And this year it's the Year of Tiger, my year of birth!"

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