World Welcomes 2026 With Fireworks and Reflection/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Cities across the world marked the arrival of 2026 with fireworks, traditions, and moments of silence in honor of lives lost. From Sydney to Seoul, festivities combined celebration with reflection on a difficult year. In Ukraine and Russia, citizens expressed cautious hope for peace amid ongoing conflict.
Quick Summary: Global Celebrations as the World Welcomes 2026
- Worldwide Celebrations: Nations around the globe marked the start of 2026 with fireworks, cultural traditions, and solemn reflection.
- Sydney, Australia: Launched a massive fireworks display across the harbor under increased police presence following a recent deadly attack. A minute of silence was held for the victims, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge featured a menorah projection in tribute.
- Seoul, South Korea: Thousands gathered to hear the Bosingak bell ring 33 times at midnight, a tradition rooted in Buddhist cosmology symbolizing the hope for peace and prosperity.
- China: Celebrations took place at the Great Wall’s Juyong Pass with drum performances and displays of “2026” and the horse symbol ahead of the Lunar New Year.
- Hong Kong: Canceled its traditional fireworks after a November apartment fire that killed 161 people. A light show with the theme “New hopes, new beginnings” replaced the pyrotechnics.
- Croatia: Continued its unique noon New Year’s countdown in Fuzine, with champagne, dancing, and brave swimmers diving into icy Lake Bajer.
- Brazil: Preparations began on Copacabana Beach for what organizers hope will be the world’s largest New Year’s celebration, aiming to break their own Guinness World Record.
- New York City: Subzero temperatures didn’t stop preparations in Times Square, where crews began setting up for the traditional midnight ball drop.
- Russia and Ukraine: As the war nears its fourth year, citizens in both Moscow and Kyiv expressed hopes for peace in the new year, with some remaining optimistic despite ongoing conflict.
World Enters 2026 With Light, Tradition, and Caution
Deep Look
As midnight swept across time zones, people around the globe bid farewell to 2025—a year marked by hardship, loss, and resilience—and welcomed 2026 with fireworks, traditions, and cautious optimism.
First Midnight in the Pacific
The earliest New Year celebrations kicked off on the islands closest to the International Date Line, including Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Tonga, and New Zealand. As these small Pacific nations marked midnight, a global wave of festivities began.
Sydney Lights the Sky, Remembers the Lost
In Australia, Sydney ushered in the New Year with a massive fireworks display featuring over 40,000 effects stretching 7 kilometers across the harbor. The show included a cascading waterfall effect from the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
But the celebration was held under heightened security following a deadly attack earlier in December, when gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah event, killing 15 people. Organizers held a moment of silence at 11 p.m. to honor the victims. The bridge was illuminated in white, and a menorah was projected on its pylons.
“After a tragic end to the year for our city, we hope that New Year’s Eve will provide an opportunity to come together and look with hope for a peaceful and happy 2026,” said Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
Seoul Rings the Bell 33 Times
In Seoul, South Korea, thousands gathered at the historic Bosingak bell pavilion to hear the traditional 33 bell chimes at midnight. Rooted in Buddhist belief, the 33 strikes symbolize the heavens and are meant to drive away bad luck and welcome peace and prosperity.
China Celebrates With Drums and Symbols
In China, revelers gathered near the Juyong Pass of the Great Wall, just outside Beijing. Participants rang in the New Year with drum performances and waved “2026” signs alongside symbols of the horse—recognizing the upcoming Year of the Horse on the lunar calendar, which begins in February.
Light Show Replaces Fireworks in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, where a November apartment fire killed 161 people, the usual fireworks show was canceled. Instead, the city presented a symbolic light show with the theme “New hopes, new beginnings” on the facades of buildings in the Central district.
Croatia’s Noon Countdown and Icy Dips
Celebrations began early in Croatia, where the town of Fužine continued its tradition of a noon countdown—an event started in 2000 and now mirrored across the country. Locals toasted with champagne, danced in daylight, and some even took icy plunges into Lake Bajer wearing Santa hats.
Brazil Aims for a New Record
In Brazil, Rio de Janeiro prepared to host its iconic “Reveillon” celebration on Copacabana Beach, aiming to surpass its own Guinness World Record from 2024 for the largest New Year’s gathering. Stages and pyrotechnics were set for a night of music, dancing, and fireworks by the sea.
Security and Cold in Times Square
In New York City, security crews installed barriers and stages in subzero temperatures as the city prepared for its iconic ball drop in Times Square. Thousands were expected to brave the cold to join the countdown in person, continuing a tradition that spans more than a century.
Shadows of war and disasters
Indonesia scaled back festivities in solidarity with communities devastated by floods and landslides in parts of Sumatra a month ago that killed over 1,100. Fireworks on the tourist island of Bali were replaced with traditional dances.
Hong Kong rang in 2026 without fireworks over Victoria Harbor after the massive fire in November. Facades of landmarks were turned into countdown clocks and a light show at midnight.
And in Gaza, Palestinians said they hope the new year brings an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. “The war humiliated us,” said Mirvat Abed Al-Aal, displaced from the southern city of Rafah.
Around Europe
Pope Leo XIV closed out the year with a plea for the city of Rome to welcome foreigners and the fragile. Fireworks were planned over European landmarks, from the Colosseum in Rome to the London Eye.
In Paris, revelers converged toward the glittering Champs-Élysées avenue. Taissiya Girda, a 27-year-old tourist from Kazakhstan, expressed hope for a calmer 2026.
“I would like to see happy people around me, no war anywhere,” she said. “Russia, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, I want everybody to be happy and in peace.”
In Scotland, where New Year’s is known as Hogmanay, First Minister John Swinney urged Scots to follow the message of “Auld Lang Syne” by national poet Robert Burns and show small acts of kindness.
Greece and Cyprus turned down the volume, replacing traditional fireworks with low-noise pyrotechnics in capitals. Officials said the change is intended to make celebrations more welcoming for children and pets.
Hope for Peace in Kyiv and Moscow
In both Kyiv and Moscow, where nearly four years of war have left lasting scars, citizens marked the New Year with cautious hope. In central Moscow, a woman named Larisa, visiting from the distant Altai region, said, “I wish for the war to end. That’s the most important thing for our country.”
In Kyiv, 9-year-old Olesia, visiting the Christmas tree at Saint Sophia Cathedral, offered a more hopeful view. “I think there will be peace in the new year,” she said, bundled in winter clothes.
Across cultures and continents, the celebrations reflected a shared desire to leave behind conflict, disaster, and hardship—looking instead toward renewal, healing, and unity in 2026.
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