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In the shadow of the pandemic and with the highly contagious Omicron mutation adding to the concerns, but also leaving a window of optimism, the planet welcomed 2022, with the hope that the nightmare it has been experiencing for the last two years will be gone and only a bad memory will be left behind.
An eerie New Year, with people scared, troubled, troubled in every corner of our Earth, hoping for a better future, without limitations, fear and needless death. With the minds of millions of souls lost to the pandemic, and those fighting the battle of life in hospitals, the colours and flashes of acacia could only be seen as a positive and optimistic note.
A celebration to welcome the New Year, a promise of better days, with more hugs, kisses, friendly gatherings, fun, prosperity and health.
2022 arrived first in Oceania and Asia
Masks, bars, messages to discourage gatherings and concern about the galloping pace of Omicron make up the common denominator in all the events taking place around the globe. The equation of observing New Year's traditions under a regime of avoiding crowds at all costs is far from easy.
The first images from parts of the globe where the time has already changed are disconcerting - if not melancholy. In Oceania and many Asian countries, fireworks went off and lit up the thick black sky, recalling the normality of two years ago. Admittedly, the spectacle of fireworks in front of iconic monuments, in large squares and so on remains magnificent. But what a contrast to the sparse crowd of those who insist on being on the spot for the customary selfies, with their mobile railings and prohibition signs, uniformed guards, etc.
\NIn metropolises like London, where hundreds of thousands of tourists flocked just to attend the open New Year's Eve show, the fireworks show was cancelled - as far as the centre of the British capital is concerned. It is whispered, however, that a fireworks show has been set up in a secret location to offer some consolation to the public via television. Also, where public opinion is not divided over whether the cost of a concert is too much or inappropriate, frontline artists such as Jessie Ware, Paloma Faith and (on film) Elton John and Dua Lipa will musically accompany the 2022 revelry for the British Commonwealth.
However, with recommendations from top health authorities leaving no room for wild celebrations and embraces on New Year's Eve, the world's biggest capitals will not welcome the New Year in pre-pandemic spectacular fashion but under strict austerity measures.
In the City of Light, the Avenue of the Champs Elysees, after the cancellation of all festivities, will not resemble New Year's Eve of other years, apart from the admittedly spectacular decorations. However, despite France setting a negative record with over 200,000 daily infections in the last 24 hours, the country is not in total lockdown.
Different from other years, New York will also welcome the New Year. In the famous Times Square, at the heart of the celebration, the crowds gathered were far fewer than in other years. Everyone who attended was chosen by lottery from among those who were fully vaccinated. Checks were rigorous and required the use of masks, according to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Recall that the top US infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, urged Americans to celebrate with a few people this New Year's Eve as well.
In Britain, health officials have been sending constant messages about the need to keep their distance and avoid overcrowding on the eve, despite the fact that no emergency measures have been taken by the Johnson government.
However, events in Trafalgar Square have been cancelled, as have festivals in Edinburgh.
In Rio, Brazil, where traditionally every year the year has changed with a spectacular spectacle on Copacabana Beach, a cancellation plan is also in place.
Besides, Brazil records one of the worst death tolls in the world.
In Italy, all concerts and events in main streets and squares were cancelled, while nightclubs were closed. Note that in the previous 24 hours the country set a negative record with more than 126,000 daily infections.
Seoul is also on the cancellation track, with South Korea cancelling for the second year in a row the ceremony that traditionally kneels for the New Year.
In India, one of the countries hit hard in the last pandemic wave, millions of people will celebrate the arrival of the New Year from their homes as a night curfew has been imposed and food outlets are operating under restrictions.
Russia started from Vladivostok to enter 2022!
Residents of the Russian Far East regions were the first in Russia to say goodbye to 2021 and welcome 2022. In the easternmost regions of Russia, Kamchatka and Chukotka, they welcomed the New Year when it was 15:00 Moscow time (14:00 Greek time), while in the westernmost region of the Far Eastern Federal District, Buryatia, they welcomed the New Year at 19:00 Moscow time (18:00 Greek time).This year the weather conditions and the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic brought about changes in the festive programme. Thus, some cities decided not to hold major festive events, such as Ulan-Ude which decided to celebrate on 30 December and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on 1 January.
"The opening of the Christmas tree in Soviet Square in Ulan-Ude, accompanied by fireworks, took place on 30 December. Artists prepared a theatrical performance entitled "Miracles in the New Year", games and quizzes, while children were greeted by Father Frost (the Russian Santa Claus). Today residents of the republic of Buryatia and the town of Ulan-Ude are celebrating the New Year at home with their loved ones," the regional government told TASS.
This year, a 27-meter-high ice sculpture with slides and 40 illuminated ice sculptures, including 12 sculptures of animals from the Far Eastern calendar, including the symbol of the next year, which is the tiger, was created in Ulaanbaatar's Souviet Square in Ulaanbaatar-Ude.
The New Year's Eve in Vladivostok was very cold, freezing cold, but this did not affect the celebrations as the residents of the capital of Primorye skated on the ice rink in the city centre, entertaining in the evening with puppet shows, light shows, DJs and colourful fireworks that lit up the frozen sky. On the evening of December 31, the square became part of this entire setting, enriched by a fairy tale performance given for the triumph of the holiday spirit, entitled "A Winter Night's Dream".
In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the night of December 31 to January 1 was a night of high winds as a Pacific cyclone began to affect the Kamchatka region as of this Friday. Due to the worsening weather, planned festivities were postponed until January 1, including fireworks being set off on New Year's Day. Residents welcomed the New Year in their homes with their families and friends.
In the South Sakhalin region, the pandemic caused the first cancellation of New Year's Eve celebrations around the main Christmas tree, but residents and visitors to the island centre were able to watch the fireworks from various parts of the town. Many residents decided not to stay in their homes but to get out and stroll around. The residents of Magadan did the same. However, even on New Year's Eve there were no festivities in the streets of the city as the temperature in Magadan reached -20 degrees Celsius at night.
In the capital of Russia's largest region, Yakutsk, they celebrated the New Year traditionally with fireworks in Lenin Square. However, as announced by the local government, there were no mass celebrations and because of the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, but also for the safety of residents as the temperature in Yakutsk reached -50 degrees Celsius on January 1.
Source: Proto Thema
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