Written by: Zheng Li

Photographed by: Guo Tianzhong and Yu Li

September 25, 2005 saw the conclusion of“Expo Aichi”which highlights the close links binding humanity to nature in the 21st century through its theme of“Nature’s Wisdom”. This event witnessed various interpretation of this theme by the participating countries, international organizations and enterprises, inspiring the solutions to the global task of human-nature co-existence and survival in face of further social development.

WELCOME TO SHANGHAI IN 2010

The“Shanghai Week”from September 19th to 25th was the final program on the stage of“City Week”activities in“China Pavilion.”The theme of“Shanghai Week”is“Wonderful Shanghai and Harmonious Life.”Since the week overlapped with the“BIE Day”and the closing session of“Expo Aichi”, the Week organizers tried to highlight the local culture and its image as a metropolitan through various activities, including official events at the international level, forums, gala show, tourism promotion, and investment attraction and brand building program. The concise theme and lively activities were meant to create a unique image of Shanghai as the next host of world exposition and to strengthen the Sino-Japanese friendship.

A grand opening ceremony for“Shanghai Week”at the China Pavilion was initiated in the morning of September 19. At the opening ceremony, Yao Ming, the Chinese basketball star, was entitled as the“Image Ambassador of Expo Shanghai.”Yao made a thank-you speech, promising that he would go all out to promote the event around the world.

Simply in that afternoon, there were more than 10,000 Japanese visitors enjoying the gala show entitled“Meet at 2010”, which 200-odd performers both from China and other countries had created one after another climax.

HIGHLIGHTS AT“SHANGHAI WEEK”

“Shanghai Week”in China Pavilion created another highlight on September 21. That was a stage show called“Friendship Relay between Sino-Japan Little Envoys”at the multi-functional theater in the Expo Park. The players with Shanghai Small Stars Troupe presented a variety of performances, including singing and dancing, suona horn solo, urheen solo, improvised calligraphy presentation, magic show and duetto. Each and every program was so gorgeous to refresh the audience up. A primary school student from Shanghai even told a story in Japanese, which deeply moved the local people with heartfelt emotions and reasonable logic. The show concluded with a lasting applause from the standing audience.

The Third Forum for Shanghai 2010 World Expo opened at the Friendship Center at the Aichi Expo on September 23, 2005. It was jointly organized by the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) the Shanghai Government and the Japan Association (a Japanese syndicate legal entity) for the 2005 World Expositions. Over 300 hundred prestigious speakers and guests were invited and attended the forum. Shanghai Municipal Government and BIE had succeeded in hosting the previous two meetings, which had exposition experts from all over the world say their say. This forum is centered on the idea of“World Expo and Sustainable Development”, wishing to pass on the world exposition efforts.

15 expert speakers representing the World Expo from different countries made brilliant speeches around the theme. At the one-day forum, discussions were carried out around three special topics, i.e. the relationship between the World Expo and sustainable development, how to intensify international cooperation so as to seek sustainable development, and how to improve designs for living in accordance with sustainable development.

At the end of the forum, C. Itoh & Co., Ltd. gave to the Shanghai 2010 World Expo Bureau the Aichi Expo 2005 Mascots——the mechanical robots“Morizo and Kiccoro”.

On September 24, BIE officials, government representatives from the Expo Aichi participating countries, members of Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition and visitors got together at the EXPO Dome to celebrate the“BIE Day.”

Splendid gala show followed up the ceremony. Programs such as the dance“Dream of Water”with an international troupe, the acrobatics show with Guangzhou Acrobatics Troupe from China, and the group elocnte“A Seed”with Japan Pavilion at Asaka won applause of the audience.

"Meet at Shanghai in 2010: Shanghai Expo Tour Promotion”was One of the significant activities of“Shanghai Week”and was held in the image center at Nagoya in the afternoon of September 24.

During the promotion event, the advertising film about Shanghai Image and tourism here were released. Miss Aki Hondo, Shanghai Tourism Goodwill Ambassador, made a presentation about Shanghai world exposition tour in Japanese. The wind band of Shanghai Civil Aviation School and Shanghai Drama School played some classical music and Peking opera. There was a picture display of“Splendid Shanghai”in the show room. The more eye-catching things involve the tourism brochures offered and four folk artists from Shanghai who present some traditional unique skill such as paper cutting, Jin Shan peasant paint, Chinese knot and rare calligraphy on the spot.

Spectators not only watched the live performances enthusiastically, but curiously raised many questions as well. On the spot, Mr. Zhou En-lin, a paper-cutting artist, created lifelike images of animals and figures by using a pair of scissors instead of brushes, while Mr. Hou Ren-duan, a painter of arts and crafts, created colorful and unique Dragon & Phoenix calligraphy, both of which won repeated applause from spectators.

Many spectators wanted to purchase these artistic works. On hearing that they were not available, but that some could possibly be given as a gift, they started to queue up several hours before the performance began. Those who were lucky had the opportunity to put forward suggestions to the artists and be presented with calligraphy works with auspicious words and blessings, or some delicate paper-cutting pictures of symbolic animals associated with the Chinese 12-year zodiac , or vivid China knots. Some spectators came several times and left happily with a complete collection of all kinds of gifts. There was an old woman who was especially enthusiastic about the China knot. She did not have a chance to get a gift, and she stood in front of the platform of Ms. He Pei-hua, a China-knot-weaving artist, for quite a long time. At last, she even knelt down begging for one China knot. Ms. He was so touched that she made an exception, and wove another China knot to satisfied the woman.

It is said that there are ten types of city tour programs in shape in Shanghai involving the tour of cultural festival, museum, ancient town, city night scenery and waterborne activity, cuisine, beautification and health care, shopping, schooling and exhibition.

It was reported that the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission made a full preparation for this promotion activity. The Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission started to draw up plans early this year, selectively sent invitation letters to Japanese of all walks of life, and then formally invited over 500 local citizens as well as personages from the tourism industry, the media and all walks of life to attend the activity, which ensured the attendance and the levels of the attendees.

Echoing the general publicity of Shanghai Week, this promotion further improved the image of the city of Shanghai, strengthened the positive impression of Shanghai in the minds of Japanese people, and enhanced the public relations effect of Shanghai’s urban planning as well as the preparations for the Shanghai World Expo. Aichi citizens attending the promotion said that they were impressed by the performances of the student orchestra and the Beijing children’s opera, which depicted the attitude of a new generation of Shanghainese as well as that of China, and their outstanding show was full of vigor. They looked forward to the Shanghai World Exposition, and wished to experience the city of Shanghai personally .

EXPO SHANGHAI, THE GLOBAL FOCUS

The six-month“Expo Aichi”drew down its curtain on September 25. It has lived up to its mission --- to respect“Nature’s Wisdom”by displaying the latest technology and new life style and discussing the way out for a harmonious co-existence between human beings and the nature and sustainable development. People across the world got together to imagine the tomorrow of the 21st century, which gave great hope and inspiration to the kids today. In this sense,“Expo Aichi”was a page of significance in the history of world exposition.

The closing ceremony for China Pavilion was held in that afternoon. In the past six months, China Pavilion has been moved by the warm love from visitors day in and day out. By 4 o’clock in that afternoon, it had accepted 5.6678 million visitors in total. Aichi local representatives presented a huge (5 * 8 meters) cloth painting drawn by both Chinese and Japanese people entitled“Bird of Peace”to the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

ELABORATIVE PREPARATION TO PRESENT A FABULOUS SHANGHAI

The“Shanghai Week”press conference was held in the Media Center with“Expo Aichi”on September 16th with Mr. Zhou Hanmin, Vice Director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, briefing this activity and“Expo Shanghai”preparation. 22 mainstream media of Japan were present such as Yomiuri Shimbun, NHK, Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Daily News, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun, Chunichi Shimbun, CBC, Jiji and Kyodo.

Here was the perfect conclusion of“Shanghai Week.”International media described this event as“splendid”,“magnificent”,“look at Shanghai in 2010”, and“perfect end”and others. They said the closing of“Expo Aichi”would turn the world to look at“Expo Shanghai”, which was just the case they would follow up.

Notes:

1、The interir decoration of the China Hall during the " Shanghai Week"

2、The audience visitiing the China Hall

3.The preparations for“Shanghai Week”.

4.The opening ceremony of“Shanghai Week”was warmly applauded.

5.Vocal Solo by Liao Changyong:“Sea Accepting Hundreds of Rivers.”

6.Peking opera by Li Guojing:“Blossoming Pear Tree.”

7.The martial art show by Ta Gou Martial Art School from Shaolin Temple, Songshan.

8.Chinese folk music played by Twelve Women Music Band:“Passion.”

9.Pop singer Guo Fucheng:“Move It Up.”

10.Japanese Ping-pang player Ai Fukuhara vs. Chinese player of fame Cao Yanhua.

11.Yao Ming presented the basketball with his signature to Japanese volunteers.

12.Chinese children on show with“Shanghai Week”

13.BIE Day

14.Folk artists displayed their unique skill.

15.The closing ceremony of“Expo Aichi.”

16.The cloth paint:“Bird of Peace”

17.The overseas media took an active role in reporting“Shanghai Week”

18.Zhou Bingqian: urheen solo

19.Acrobatics show