Lunar New Year

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

Lunar New Year

WHEREAS, the Lunar New Year is a celebration of enormous significance, celebrated by billions of people around the world and in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Virginia is home to at least 750,000 individuals who identify as Asian American and Pacific Islanders; and

WHEREAS, the festival was first observed as a time to honor deities and ancestors, and is associated with the lunar-solar calendar; and

WHEREAS, today, throughout the world and across the Commonwealth, Lunar New Year is an occasion to gather with family and friends for celebrations; and

WHEREAS, this year signifies the Year of the Rabbit, a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture; and

WHEREAS, Virginians, of many origins, will celebrate the beginning of the Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Rabbit alongside their neighbors in the Commonwealth and around the world;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize January 22, 2023, as the start of the LUNAR NEW YEAR in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations