The happy atmosphere of the upcoming Spring Festival will spread worldwide, thanks to a major cultural program called Happy Chinese New Year.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on Wednesday in Beijing that 1,500 events in the program will be held in 396 cities in 133 countries and regions during the Chinese holiday.

This year features the first edition of Happy Chinese New Year after the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was established in a merger of the previous ministry of culture and national tourism administration.

The ministry has organized art troupes to celebrate Spring Festival overseas since 2001. In 2009, it launched the more comprehensive Happy Chinese New Year program to bring more diversity to the celebrations.