By: Xu Sun

The post which won the first prize

On the evening on January 9th, 2006, the award ceremony for the first "Innovation for the World Expo" network design competition was held in the Shanghai Theatre Academy. With the accompaniment of songs and music full of vigor and enthusiasm, ten prizes were revealed, including gold, silver and bronze awards to designers in the poster group and the animation group, the "Most Popular Designer" and the "Designer of Best Originality". Two participants from Shanghai, Shi Li and
Wang Yongcheng respectively got the gold prize of the poster group and the animation group. The other awards went to participants from Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hunan, Shenzhen, Beijing, Xi'an and other provinces and cities. At the same time, the panel of judges for this competition also chose through public appraisal 80 poster nominees and 20 animation nominees. These awarded and nominated designers will get a certificate of "Honorary Designer of 'Innovation for the World Expo'"given by the organizing committee of the competition.

The first "Innovation for the World Expo"network design competition formally started on November 11th 2005, aiming at popularizing the World Expo's concepts of "understanding, communication, happy gathering and cooperation" while focusing on its theme of "Better City, Better Life". It is hoped that more people, especially the young will pay attention to and participate in all the activities of the World Expo. The guiding units of the competition are the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, Shanghai Committee of the Communist Youth League. Shanghai Computer Trade Association, www.expo2010china.com, Shanghai Information Youth Talent Association sponsored the competition.

No Limit for Innovation, Demonstrating the Theme of "Better City, Better Life"

Ever since the beginning of the "Innovation for the World Expo" network design competition, it has attracted extensive attention and support from the youth society. The competition, which lasted almost 2 months, has attracted 2917 contestants to participate, with 2454 poster entries and 82 animation entries. These entries are either thick in ink and rich in colors, or full of child's taste, or exquisite in the framework or imbued with innovation, enabling people to feel the enthusiasm in the deep heart of the participants and the great pride of every Chinese people in every corner of the world in holding a World Expo of historical importance in China.

All the entries of the "Innovation for the World Expo" are imbued with the theme of the Expo Shanghai--Better City, Better Life. Shi Li, from East China Normal University, is the gold prize winner of the poster group in this competition. Her work has adopted a different approach of comparing a colorized and round lollipop to the earth. On the lollipop earth, there are white clouds, birds, beautiful cabins and children flying kites, full of child's innocence amid the various rich colors. Shi Li told me, that the theme of "Better City, Better Life" had given her inspiration for its creation. She felt that life should be very sweet, just like the sugary candies. People living in these beautiful cities are just like children living in the paradise of candies, feeling happy and content. The love and longing for life conveyed in this work has won universally favorable comment from the judges and netizens.

Obstacle--free Communications, an Upsurge in Innovation on the Network and within Colleges and Universities

As the first network competition, the "Innovation for the World Expo" not only encourages people to make innovations but also attaches great importance to open communication. All the procedures of the competition were completed on its designated website (www.expo2010china.com). A special webpage for the competition was opened within the website making it possible for the organizing committee of the competition to communicate with the participants from all over the country via the Internet. Through the competition forum opened by the website, participants and citizens could have their say and make comments and discuss individual works. At the same time, citizens could grade the works of the competition via the Internet and all the awards were based on grading results of the judges and netizens. Moreover, the final winner of the "Most Popular Design" award was chosen completely depending on the grading results by the netizens.

Just as the popularity of the network-based competition, the "Innovation for the World Expo" also stirred an upsurge in the colleges and universities in Shanghai. After the beginning of the competition, the promotion tour was held in key colleges and universities in Shanghai. In East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai International Studies University, East China Normal University, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai College of Sport, Shanghai Shanda College, Shanghai Top College and on many other campuses, promotion posters and handouts about the "Innovation for the World Expo" competition could be seen everywhere. The organizing committee of the competition arranged many promotion activities in various forms on the campuses of many colleges and universities. The students who signed their names, wrote words to the Shanghai World Expo during the activities and quickly produced several poster works with the theme of "World Expo" on the spot, fully demonstrating their creativity, wisdom as well as their enthusiasm for the Shanghai World Expo. They also said that the "Innovation for the World Expo" network design competition also provided a great platform for modern young people to show their talents and express their enthusiasm.

The "Innovation for the World Expo" competition also held a series of theme speeches activities in colleges and universities. Yu Li, Assistant Director of the Exposition Affairs and Cultural Activities Department of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, delivered a speech on the theme of World Expo entitled "Everything originates from World Expo" for students in Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which was very popular among them. The audience were astounded to see the driving force that the World Expo has brought about towards human civilization while at the same time earnestly felt the various opportunities and challenges the World Expo will bring to Shanghai.

It is reported that "Innovation for the World Expo" will further develop as a brand. Through the "Innovation for the World Expo" competition, more young people full of enthusiasm will utilize their creativity and originality to add to the glory of the Expo 2010 Shanghai.