Women's conference

The International Forum on Women in Urban Development and Commemoration of the 15th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Shanghai from Sept 16 to 18. With the theme of "Women in Urban Development", the forum attracted more than 300 women from 50 countries and regions, all of whom have made significant achievements in the fields of politics, social affairs or international women's organizations or NGOs. The forum discussed various subjects concerning the growth of female talent, women's comprehensive development and responsibility, and women's role in urban development.

Seven days in Tibet

Lhasa Week got under way at the Expo on Sept 17 with the capital of the Tibet autonomous region showcasing its distinctive snow-capped plateau and flowers. One of the highlights of the week's activities, a floral parade, attracted more than 700,000 visitors, officials said. Actors native to Lhasa performed in traditional Tibetan dress to promote the area's culture. Meanwhile, the respective tourism boards of Lhasa and Shanghai signed a memorandum of cooperation to promote exchanges between the two cities, based on their tourism resources, and boost the growth of the domestic tourism industry.

Vanke talks garbage

A forum named "Ecological Recycling and Dwelling Environment" was held inside the corporate Vanke Pavilion on Sept 20 to mark its special pavilion day at Expo 2010. Wang Shi, chairman of China Vanke Co Ltd, gave a keynote speech and initiated an action plan aimed at promoting better ways of sorting refuse in China. A sculpture made from oxygen cylinders discarded at Mt Qomolangma was unveiled at the forum.

Cellphone with a sense of hygiene

Morph, the concept phone produced by Nokia, was recently put on display inside the Finland Pavilion. Morph uses nano-technology to clean itself and can be recharged automatically using solar power. Meanwhile, visitors can interact with one of the pavilion's digital walls using the photography function of another Nokia model, the N810.

Abruzzo promotes its assets

The Abruzzo Regional Exhibition, co-organized by the Italian Pavilion and the Shanghai Yishang Wine Business Consulting Company, was held on Sept 19. The exhibition presented the unique charms of the central-southern Italian region, and showcased efforts to rebuild the area following a devastating earthquake there in 2009. Mauro Febbo, Abruzzo's councilor for agriculture and environment, attended the inauguration of the exhibition and led a discussion on sustainable urban development.

Djuric the face of Montenegrin art

An exhibition of the painter Dado Djuric is being held in the Montenegro Pavilion from Sept 15 to Oct 31. Djuric, a Montenegrin painter of 20th century contemporary art, is one of the most prominent representatives of contemporary figurative art. Predrag Nenezic, Montenegro's tourism minister, attended the opening ceremony.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/24/2010)