In Chinese culture, the horse symbolises endeavour, freedom and exploration. It represents not only strength, but also wisdom and agility. These qualities resonate deeply with the founding ethos of a Hiba education: we hope every child will move forward with courage, explore the unknown with confidence, and learn to find their own identity within a diverse cultural world.

Education is not merely the transmission of knowledge; it is a journey of accompanying children as they discover, understand and shape the world. As the Year of the Horse approaches, the Primary School thoughtfully planned a series of Spring Festival celebrations, enabling pupils to experience the richness of Chinese culture through joyful participation, while inspiring their creativity and imagination.

The Spring Festival performance unfolded like a vibrant canvas. Gentle orchestral melodies wove together the classical and the contemporary; the distinctive tones of traditional Chinese opera lingered with elegance; rock music burst with energy; and ethnic dances flowed with lightness and grace. More than ten programmes of varied styles took to the stage in turn, as pupils skillfully blended Eastern and Western musical traditions, bringing to life the beauty of cultural exchange through youthful vitality.

On stage, young musicians' fingers danced across instruments, dancers spun and leapt with confidence, and recitations conveyed wisdom and emotion through every line. Each detail reflected the pupils' enthusiasm and creativity. The stage was not only a space for showcasing talent, but also a place where confidence, collaboration and team spirit quietly took root and grew.

This year's Spring Festival Fair was jointly planned with our parent community and designed around the Primary School's Chinese Culture Pathway within the school-based curriculum. With over 40 engaging and imaginative stalls, the event created a truly immersive journey through history. From the school plaza to classrooms across year groups, every corner of the campus was filled with creativity and surprise.

Parents and pupils became "cultural ambassadors", journeying along the Chinese Culture Pathway of our school-based curriculum in an immersive exploration spanning millennia. From the vibrant culinary traditions of China to the ordered elegance of Zhou ritual and music; from the moral character and intellectual spirit of scholars in the Three Kingdoms and Jin periods to the cosmopolitan splendour of the Tang Dynasty, and finally to the refined yet lively urban life of the Song era — pupils engaged in hands-on creation, role play and interactive experiences. In doing so, history moved beyond the pages of textbooks, becoming something tangible, lived and vividly present.

The Year of the Horse symbolises wisdom, courage and agility, as well as the power of moving forward with momentum. We hope that Hiba pupils will, like fine steeds, gallop confidently between tradition and modernity—becoming thoughtful inheritors of Chinese culture and active communicators within the global community.

As the Spring Festival arrives, we extend our heartfelt wishes to every family for harmony, happiness and prosperity in the year ahead. May every Hiba pupil stride forward with ambition and determination, embracing new journeys and brighter horizons. Together with our children, let us welcome a more radiant future through the shared paths of cultural inheritance and joyful growth.