New Years are celebrated in different countries around the world. The English New Year — the most widely celebrated New Year — is celebrated on January 1st. There are also other New Year celebrations that take place on different dates according to various cultural and religious traditions. For example, the Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar and usually falls between January 21st and February 20th and the Bengali New Year is traditionally celebrated on the 14th of April (or Pohela Boishakh). Among others, countries like Iran celebrate Nowruz, Iran’s traditional New Year, which typically occurs on March 21st. New Years are celebrated through a variety of means ranging from fireworks displays to festive parties in different countries.
The celebration of the New Years is a time when people come together to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one with joy and excitement. But different untoward incidents, ranging from small-scale accidents to more serious mishaps, happen in the celebration of New Years in different countries not only dampen the festive spirit but also bring several negative outcomes including deaths, injuries and property damages. Fireworks-related accidents and stampede in crowded venues occur during the celebration in different countries. Additionally, there are many instances of violence in crowded gatherings, different criminal activities including theft and driving accidents in different countries during celebrations. Among others, terrorist attacks and harassment also took place during the celebration of New Years.
It is notable that there are security based, irresponsible behavior based and other causes of untoward incidents during the celebration of New Years in different countries. Overcrowding, a lack of proper security measures and inadequate crowd management plans are some of the notable causes of untoward happenings. For instance, 36 people died in the New Year’s Eve stampede in Shanghai, China in 2014 and 61 people died in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in 2013 in another stampede driven by overcrowding and panic. Among others, the use of fireworks without proper safety precautions and excessive alcohol consumption — which leads to reckless behavior and increased aggression — are some crucial causes of undesired incidents during celebrations.
Governments around the world take legal and other measures to ensure the safety and security of citizens during New Year’s celebrations. The steps often include increased police presence, the deployment of additional security personnel and the implementation of strict regulations on fireworks and alcohol consumption. Additionally, different countries have introduced public awareness campaigns on responsible behavior and the potential risks associated with large gatherings during the celebration of New Years. Consequently, the risk of untoward incidents during celebrations is minimized many times. But there are diverse loopholes in the efforts including inadequate enforcement of regulations, inadequate crowd management and monitoring of fireworks and insufficient coordination among different agencies.
Given the sheer scale and diversity of celebrations of New Years, it often turns out to be difficult to address every potential risk in different countries. But it is desired that effective steps be ensured to reduce untoward occurrences during the celebration of New Years. Implementing strict security measures and increasing police presence in crowded areas and popular celebration venues with well-made plans that greatly help prevent unexpected incidents during New Year’s celebrations are definitely crucial. But conducting thorough background checks and screening processes for individuals attending large-scale celebration events may also be needed to further enhance security in many venues.
Promoting public awareness campaigns about responsible behaviors including responsible alcohol consumption among participants in celebrations is also crucial in different countries. Responsible behaviors can contribute to preventing untoward happenings during New Year’s celebrations many times. Among others, coordinating with local authorities and emergency services, the lack of which often results in more negative outcomes in many untoward incidents, is imperative to establish efficient communication channels and emergency response plans and ensure swift emergency action — in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
