By Lauren Henrickson

(Feb. 5, 2016) — To kick off the Year of the Monkey, the University of Kentucky Confucius Institute (UKCI) is hosting its inaugural Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration. The event will take place 5-7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, at the Hilary J. Boone Center.

Open to UK faculty and staff, guests will enjoy a delicious Chinese dinner, a performance of Chinese culture and learn more about how UKCI works to fulfill both its core mission and the mission of the university.

"This is our first annual Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration at the Boone Center. We are very excited and hope to take this opportunity to celebrate diversity on campus, as well as announce new UKCI initiatives," said Huajing Maske, director of UKCI and executive director of the Office of China Initiatives.

Guests will receive a hóngbāo, a red envelope given as a gift of good luck for the Chinese New Year. They will also have the opportunity to win raffle prizes.

For more information, contact Lauren Henrickson at lauren.henrickson@uky.edu, public relations and marketing assistant at the UK Confucius Institute.

A gateway for Chinese language, culture and art to the people of Kentucky, UKCI provides leadership, support and coordination for Chinese language and programs in K-12 schools as well as on UK's campus; assists and facilitates establishing and maintaining faculty and student exchanges between UK colleges and Chinese universities; conducts Chinese language and cultural exchange; and promotes education about China on campus, across the Bluegrass region, and throughout the Commonwealth.