World starts welcoming New Year with fireworks, prayers

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Hong Kong welcomed 2024 with a large New Year’s Eve fireworks display over Victoria Harbour.

The façade of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was adorned with a large-scale countdown clock ahead of a 12-minute fireworks performance.

This year was Hong Kong’s largest New Year’s Eve fireworks display to date, according to the city’s bureau of tourism.

New Zealanders were among the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2024 with a fireworks display in Auckland on Monday. The fireworks illuminated the cloudy night sky and were accompanied by a laser light and animation show.

Australia

Sydney also hailed 2024 with a dazzling fireworks display featuring silver and gold pyrotechnics to mark the 50th anniversary of its famous Opera House.

UAE 

The United Arab Emirates welcomed the New Year with fireworks celebrations.

Thousands gathered to watch spectacular fireworks displays on New Year’s Eve at the world’s tallest skyscraper the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Thousands of revellers also watched a fireworks show held in the nearby emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Brazil

Revellers and tourists started arriving early on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach ahead of the famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.

New Year fever was building in the city as preparations were made for the traditional spectacular fireworks display which will usher in 2024.

Musicians rehearsed on Sunday morning on one of the four stages that will host several concerts during the celebrations.

Lining the sidewalks nearby the famous Brazilian coast are souvenir stands, information kiosks, police officers, and first aid booths to welcome tourists.

Copacabana will be the centre of the festivities and is expected to host more than 2 million revellers who will be treated to a 12-minute fireworks display timed to music.

Rio’s New Year’s celebrations are world famous and one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.

Thailand

Thailand rang in the year 2024 with a 12-minute display of fireworks stretching across part of the Chao Phraya River in the capital city of Bangkok.

The celebration held at Icon Siam, one of the largest shopping malls in Bangkok, also included a 9-minute drone show depicting images of Thailand’s new year countdown, royal Thai barge, and a heart shaped Thai flag to promote Thai-ness, which is this year’s theme.

In other parts of Bangkok, onlookers were also able to watch the same firework display from the Grand Palace situated on the opposite side of the river.