Shanghai's Quyang Road subdistrict international community hosted an international cultural carnival on Nov 7 at Shanghai International Studies University, inviting students from 10 countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Vietnam, Thailand, and France, to participate as cultural ambassadors.

The event opened with a parade of international students dressed in traditional attire and carrying their national flags. Through performances, interactive Q&A sessions, and themed exhibitions, the students provided a vibrant showcase of their countries’ customs and cultural heritage to local residents. 

Artem Petrosian, a senior student from Armenia, introduced his country's iconic Water-Splashing Festival to the audience. His display highlighted Armenia’s geography, cultural figures, and traditions, noting that as a nation at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Armenia celebrates its happiest festival with water. He said that culture becomes richer through exchange and expressed hope that the event would inspire more people to learn about Armenia.

At the Vietnam booth, Thi Thao Tran and her fellow students prepared 40 interactive questions covering topics from Vietnam's capital to its unique transportation and New Year traditions. She also distributed traditional gifts like Vietnamese coffee keychains and red envelopes to local residents, while exchanging souvenirs with students from other countries.

At the Malawi booth, Syton Peter Chawinga guided a resident in playing an African drum, receiving feedback that its rhythms were strikingly similar to those of China's traditional instruments.

A highlight of the gala was the cultural performance segment. Audiences were captivated by solo songs from Tajikistan, dialect songs from Cameroon, candle dances from Thailand, and violin solos from Armenia. Many attendees stopped to take photos, while fashion shows featuring French and Egyptian styles showcased diverse aesthetics and traditions.

The gala also featured traditional Chinese arts performances such as Bianlian, or face-changing, a Xinjiang solo dance, and an ethnic dance, offering international students and residents a vivid experience of China's unique artistic heritage.

The carnival served not only as a cultural promotion event but also as a platform for international students to realize the value of "people-to-people diplomacy" through cross-cultural exchanges.

Source: Official WeChat account of Shanghai Hongkou district at "shhongkou"