Fireworks and Celebrations Mark Start of 2015

THuNDER BAY – The Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve Gala featured a dazzling never-before-seen show of fireworks, LED light and laser beam displays. Once again this display positioned Dubai on the global map with the world’s most-watched New Year’s Eve spectacle.

Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director of Emaar, said, “The Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve Gala is a symbol of Dubai’s positivity and its ability to inspire, unite and bring happiness to people from around the world. The celebration brings hope and joy for a better tomorrow and a promising new era of growth here in Dubai, a global city that provides the opportunity and environment for business and personal growth.”

The ‘World’s Largest LED-Illuminated Façade’ around Burj Khalifa was the centre of all glitz as it regaled the teeming spectators with one of the world’s brightest visual displays to date. Spanning a total area of 32,467 sq metres, the illumination surpassed the existing record, with the LED screen area around Burj Khalifa nearly 3.75 times larger. The record-breaking LED display had an impressive 70,000 LED bulbs placed in position using over 100,000 brackets and linked seamlessly using 55,000 metres of cabling for the perfect visual display.

The fireworks, laser show and multimedia display used the world’s most advanced pyrotechnics and LED illumination technology. Professionals from around the world worked on the project with over 192,000 man-hours devoted to the gala. About 200 skilled professionals were tasked with the project. Over 4.7 tonnes of fireworks were used for the fireworks display with 25,000 shots lighting up the sky. The perfectly synchronised fireworks used over 25,000 metres of cabling, some rising up to tip of Burj Khalifa’s spire for the crowning effect.

China Rings in 2015

Revellers packed into prized vantage points across major Chinese cities on Wednesday (December 31), to bag the best location to welcome in 2015.

Beijing’s Olympic Park hosted a special New Year event, with celebrations centered on the Bird Cage stadium and Aquatic centre that were used in the 2008 Games.

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In Hong Kong, an eight-minute fireworks display lit up the city’s iconic Victoria Harbour.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese Communist Party rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula that gives it some autonomy from the mainland and a promise of eventual universal suffrage.

And residents in Shanghai were treated to a 3D laser light show and fireworks display at the Bund Original district to usher in 2015.