About three thousand children were invited to the event, and for the first time in a long while, the celebration was held in a spacious hall with a capacity of five thousand seats.
The new venue proved to be both an advantage and a challenge for the organizers. Previously, only children were allowed into the Christmas tree event, while parents waited outside, but this year, parents were permitted to stay in the hall with their children. This decision led to confusion: adults occupied seats meant for children, and many kids could not find available chairs. Attempts to call parents to order were not always successful.
Staff at the arena, expressing their dissatisfaction, noted: "We tried to do better, but next time, we will probably limit entry to children only again."
It was only by 11:00 that the audience was seated, and the celebration finally began. Among the honored guests were Mayor Aibek Junushaliev, Children's Rights Commissioner Asel Chynbaeva, and Deputy Speaker of the Bishkek City Council Zhyldyzbek Abdrayimov.
The mayor congratulated the children on the upcoming New Year, wishing them health, success in their studies, and the fulfillment of their cherished wishes. "You are our future, always strive for justice and hard work, dream and believe in yourselves!" he addressed the young citizens.
In a conversation with journalists, Junushaliev emphasized that the construction of the "Zhashtyk Arena" has allowed for an expansion of the format of city events and attracted more children, which became possible thanks to the new space.
"The New Year tree invited honor students, activists, and children from large families," the mayor added.
The main gift for the children was a bright theatrical performance titled "The 7 Wonders of Kyrgyzstan," which introduced them to the cultural heritage and traditions of the country in an engaging way.
A schoolboy named Alan, who came to the celebration with his mother, shared that he had been looking forward to this event. "The arena is simply magnificent, the concert was wonderful, and now I’m waiting for my gift," he said with a smile.
The children who received gifts from the mayor were very pleased, which is undoubtedly the most important moment for them.
Overall, the New Year tree gave the young participants a multitude of emotions, a sense of celebration, and real magic. For many, this day became one of the brightest events of the past year and a great start to the New Year festivities in Bishkek.
