Cultural festival takes World Expo theme

It's the annual "Gifts Culture Festival" in Shanghai. And it's open in the time-honored shopping district, Yuyuan Garden. This year's theme is "Shanghai World Expo 2010."

Tuesday morning, thousands swarmed into the plaza in front of the Yuyuan Garden Center. There, amid the clamor of pounding drums and traditional lion dances, people gave a rousing round of applause for the eagerly anticipated World Expo. In another gesture, people left their palm prints on a very long scroll of cloth, extending best wishes for the international event. Old and young came out and some foreign travelers came along to see what all the excitement was about. The scroll will be presented as a unique gift to the World Expo in 2010.

The scroll symbolizes the Shanghai Gifts Culture Festival, held every year for over a decade. The scroll features images of the World Expo Official Emblem and major landmarks around the city. Over the next two weeks, visitors to the plaza can join in and leave their own palm prints on the massive token of good wishes.