London’s Lord Mayor New Year’s Parade

[Andy Moody, NTD Reporter]:

“Hello and Happy New Year! And what a better way to celebrate it than here at London’s New Year’s Day Parade! Over half-a-million people are expected to line London’s famous streets here, to see over 10,000 performers from over 20 countries.

[Parade Participant]:

“We represent diversity, because we’re one of the most diverse Boroughs in Brent. We have many schools which represent many cultures. Britain is a multicultural society.”

This year is the 25th anniversary of the parade, the first beginning in 1987. In 1996, the parade made a world-record attempt for biggest marching band. Marching bands are still very much a part of the parade today, with over twenty this year.

[Andy Moody, NTD Reporter]:

“We’re here with the Tian Guo Marching Band to find out more about this art form.”

[Felix Hermans, Divine Land-Tian Guo Marching Band]:

“We play music that’s very different. It sounds very simple, but it has an enormous power this music of ours. Another song is called Fa Guo Fa Hao, and where the drums of ours and the trumpets go through the heavens and the earth.”

The parade raises a significant amount of money for charity, and draws the crowds in year after year.

“So exciting, amazing, really interesting. I didn’t expect anything like that!”

“Well, I’m here on holiday and I’m enjoying this wonderful parade, It’s the first time that I’ve seen the parade in London. It’s very beautiful.”

“Really brilliant, I think they’re great, it’s amazing that they come here every year. Brilliant.”

Andrew Moody, NTD News, London

Foto: NTDTV