New Years Eve 2021 was, as expected, special all over the world. It comes to the end of a year in which humanity has experienced something unprecedented: a virus has taken over the entire planet and turned everyone’s lives upside down, forcing them to isolate themselves. But that doesn’t necessarily mean alienation. Despite being locked in their homes, people felt, perhaps, closer than ever, united by this common suffering. And they looked forward to the New Year more eagerly than ever, hoping that it would bring them that coveted healing, end the nightmare, and bring them back to life.
The 2021 New Year’s Eve images were not, in many places, as glorious as before. In the conditions of the traffic restrictions that are in effect at night in many countries, including Romania, the streets were deserted and the silence was left quite quickly after midnight. In some countries, ceremonies have been completely canceled.
Elsewhere, the fireworks were loud, as before, giving the coveted spectacle even in the absence of a large audience physically present. This was the case in Sydney, Taipei or Dubai. Here, the show took place at the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and as we have gotten used to in recent years, it was not just a fireworks show, but also a light show. The theme was dedicated to the heroes of the year. Here are the images:
There were also countries – the champions of the fight against the virus – where, with or without masks, people took to the streets, were very close again and had fun together. The city of Wuhan, the place where the pandemic broke out a year ago, was one of those places. In North Korea, it is not known if people came out voluntarily, but in any case, New Year’s Eve was an occasion for a show to glorify the leader.
Regardless, something has brought all of these people together, no matter where they have been: the hope that 2021 will be a really good year.
New Years Eve 2021. The famous fireworks on the Sydney Harbor Bridge lasted less Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. Traditional fireworks launched from SkyTower, Auckland, New Zealand Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. A huge fireworks display launched from the second tallest building in the world, Taipei 101, Taiwan, the island that controlled the epidemic very well Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021 in Taiwan Photo: Guliver / Getty Images New Year’s Eve 2021. Young people from Wuhan celebrate the New Year in a club. There have been no cases of intra-community transmission of the virus in Wuhan since May, and life is gradually returning to normal. Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021 in Manila, Philippines. People are watching a drone show in a park. The authorities have urged the population not to gather in large groups, threatening those who do not follow the prison rules. The country continues to face a large number of infections Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. People who wear protective masks and physically distance themselves pray for a better New Year in a temple in Tokyo. Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. People in Wuhan, wearing masks, celebrated the arrival of the new year outside on the street Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Year’s Eve party 2021 in downtown Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, the country with one of the best performances in pandemic management Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. Big fireworks explosion at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. The show has no street viewers and is broadcast live on public television Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Year’s Eve 2021. Parisians gathered in front of City Hall to rejoice that the New Year is approaching, before 20:00, when the nightly quarantine takes effect Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Year’s Eve 2021. Guests of the Pullman Hotel, near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, enjoy the arrival of the New Year in the hotel room, with night traffic prohibited in Paris Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. Police patrols prevent people from gathering on the streets of Athens to celebrate the New Year Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. Police on horseback try to disperse the crowd gathered near Westminster Bridge in London to celebrate the New Year Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021, Japan. A woman prays for the new year at a temple in Tokyo Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021, Rome. Fireworks over St. Peter’s Basilica when ceremonies were canceled and quarantined Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. People scattered on the beach in Falmouth, UK, come to celebrate the New Year Photo: Guliver / GettyImages New Years Eve 2021. People from Liverpool gather in Everton Brow to watch the unofficial fireworks display Photo: Guliver / Getty Images New Years Eve 2021. Deserted streets in Edinburgh, Scotland, with restrictions due to the pandemic Photo: Guliver / GettyImages
