On the morning of September 26th, the Brilliance West Shopping Mall square witnessed a bustling scene of activity -- the 1st Shanghai Neighborhood Festival & the tryout of“Joyful World Expo Family Contest”was held here. This occasion is meant to help add more cultured and harmonious atmosphere to the mutual care and assistance among neighbors in the welcome to the approaching World Expo. Ma Chunlei, Deputy Chief of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Director of the Shanghai Cultural and Ethical Cultivation Office, and Zhang Lili, Chairwoman of the Shanghai Women's Federation, were present at this gathering, who joined the Expo Mascot‘Haibao’and the‘Happy Expo Families’in the beating of drums and gongs, and officially started the first neighborhood festival in Shanghai. 　　

At the ceremony, Zhang Lili, Zhang Lili, Chairperson of the Shanghai Women's Federation, LI Yaoxin, Vice Secretary of the CPC Committee of and Head of Changning District, and Tang Yuqin, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Shanghai Media Group (SMG) addressed the ceremony on behalf of the sponsors. Other distinguished guests attending the ceremony included: Liu Yaqin, Director of the National People's Congress Standing Committee of Changning District, Chen Jianxing, Chairman of the CPPCC Changning District, Zhu Ming, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Women's Federation, Xia Yongtai, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Changning District, Zhu Guohong, member of the Standing Committee of and the Publicity Department of the CPC Changning District Committee, Zou Longfei, Deputy Head of Changning District, Shou Guangwu, Deputy Editor-in-chief of Jiefang Daily, and Qiu Zhengyi, Deputy Editor-in-chief of Xinmin Evening News. 　　

While the whole nation is celebrating the 60th birthday of the motherland, the First Shanghai Neighborhood Festival was open amidst the singing of“My Motherland”. At the ceremony, the honor of“Happy Expo Family”was for the first time awarded to some families. This is a pilot project launched by the Shanghai Women's Federation first in Changning District, which is then to be popularized in the whole city area. The purpose of this project is to recruit and train volunteer families and host families for Expo, and to provide them with opportunities of actual practice in full preparation for the reception of Expo visitors in the year to come, which will sure help promote cultural exchange and friendship between the Chinese people and the peoples from different parts of the world. 　　

Moreover, the honor of“Leading Expo Family”was also awarded to some families on this occasion, who stood out as distinguished families in terms of talent and skill in the TV family contest program for Expo, such as the families of Su Zhaoren, Zhou Jie and Liu Chen.“Joyful World Expo Family Contest”, sponsored by Dragon TV and New Entertainment, is a TV PK show, which embodies the Expo dreams of ordinary families all over the world, and which has achieved the highest audience rating of all the variety shows broadcast on Thursday evenings, winning a very good popularity among audiences. This show not only exhibits to the world the contestants’talents and the advanced culture of Shanghai, but also publicizes knowledge of Expo and encourages sustained contributions by the ordinary people. They will serve as role examples to other families in enhancing cultural exchange and showing good manners, playing a very important part in the promotion of the Expo. 　　

A short documentary was shown at the ceremony to commend some model neighbors for their assistance to their neighbors and their contributions to the construction of a harmonious international neighborhood, among whom are Xu Rui and Yu Guanghui known for their love beyond national boundaries, Lan Hai and Liu Chenghua for their heart-to-heart relationship with their international neighbors, Zhang Wenfang and Bao Minfang for their close friendship with their neighbors, Jiang Xiufeng and Huang Juhong for their being dear to their neighbors like one family. These families have fully displayed their efforts in creating a civilized and harmonious social atmosphere in which neighbors are united as one family, making concerted efforts to welcome the Expo.

After the opening ceremony, Changning District selective trials of“Joyful World Expo Family Contest”started. The judging panel was composed of Li Lunxin, famous writer and former vice-president of the Shanghai Literary Federation, Wang Xiaoying, famous writer, and Ah-Qing, comic star. The 32 families participating in the tryout contest were selected from the whole district. Among these families, there was one of four generations living under one roof, with the honor of“National Five-virtue Family”. There were also families from minority nationalities including the Korean nationality, the Tujia nationality and the Tibetan nationality, as well as international families from the U. S., Japan, Nigeria and other countries. The contest reached one climax after another and the performances were all thrilling and fascinating. The distinguished candidate families selected from this tryout will have a chance to show their talents to the audiences all over the world through Dragon TV programs, which will be broadcast live at 21:15 every Monday thru Wednesday.

This activity is co-sponsored by the Cultural and Ethical Cultivation Office of the Shanghai Municipal Committee, the Shanghai Women's Federation, the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, the SMG and the Changning Leading Group for 600-day Action Plan in Preparation for the World Expo, aiming to pool social strengths, spread the knowledge and influence of the World Expo among ordinary families, further improve citizens’civilized qualities, and motivate more families to keep informed of, take part in, serve and contribute to the World Expo. This activity is jointly organized by the Social Mobilization Headquarters of the Changning Leading Group for 600-day Action Plan in Preparation for the World Expo, the Changning District Cultural and Ethical Cultivation Office, the Changning District Women's Federation, Dragon TV, New Entertainment, Expo Weekly of Xinmin Evening News, and the Community Column of Xinmin Evening News, and generously assisted and supported by Brilliance West Shopping Mall.