On 23rd May, Zhongshan Pavilion officially opened in Shanghai World Expo. Provincial and municipal leaders attended the opening ceremony.
The theme of Fraternity and Harmony Make Life Better
Volunteers from Zhongshan are welcoming visitors.
Sha xi Crane Dance, one of the characteristic folk customs in Zhongshan, is on performance in the opening ceremony.
With the theme of Fraternity and Harmony Makes Life Better , Zhongshan pavilion officially opened on the afternoon of 23rd May, displaying special feelings for the World Expo, tradition of fraternity and monument of charity.
Lei Yulan, Vice governor of Guangdong, Tang Binquan and Yao Zhibin, vice Chairmen of CPPCC Guangdong, Wang Shitao, Director of Publicity Department of Red Cross Society of China, Sun Liansheng, Director of UBPA of Shanghai Expo, together with Zhongshan municipal leaders of Mayor Li Qihong, Yu Rongwei, Peng Jianwen, and Qiu Shuhong attended the opening ceremony & Fraternity Forum.
Leaders from two sister cities of Zhongshan, including Sun Weiguo, Secretary of Hongkou District in Shanghai and Isamu Nishiguchi, mayor of Moriguchi City in Japan, as well as Zhongshan honorary citizens, Japanese friends, representatives of volunteers from all walks of life witnessed the exciting moment.
Deputy Mayor Yin Shaoju presided over the opening ceremony.
In the speech, Mayor Li Qihong spoke of the historical relationship between Zhongshan and World Expo. As the first Chinese participated in the World Expo, Xu Rongcun brought the excellent Yung Kee Silk and won the gold and silver medals 160 years ago; as a great mind in China, Zheng Guanying firstly put forward the idea of holding World Expo in Shanghai 40 years later. Both first Chinese in World Expo are Zhongshanese. The large-scaled program Zhongshanese in Shanghai has recorded the experience of Zhongshanese in World Expo and in Shanghai.
The case of Zhongshan stood out from 106 effective self-recommendations submitted by 80 cities in the world and was successfully invited to display in the UPBA of Shanghai Expo. It is the only case selected with the theme of charity, making Zhongshan Pavilion unique by showing the thought and pursue of Zhongshan people to make city life better.
Located in the third floor of Future Pavilion in UPBA of Shanghai Expo, Zhongshan Pavilion made use of a time tunnel to show the charity parade of Zhongshan in the past 23 years. Vice governor Lei Yulan highly praised the charity and said it was not only a charity brand in Zhongshan also a charity flag in Guangdong and China. Tang Binquan also made a comment that the fraternity spirit of Sun Yat-Sen had become a drive in scientific and harmonious development of Zhongshan.
