On September 20, nearly 100 expats gathered at the Huacao International Community Center (HICC) to explore Yunnan Province's vibrant culture. They practiced Bai tie-dye, hammered Miao silver fridge magnets, embroidered wool ornaments and cooked noodles.

The 2025 Shanghai International Family Day Carnival & Minhang's Happy Community Festival, celebrating the second anniversary of the HICC, was a collaborative effort between City News Service (CNS) and HICC. The event aimed to give expatriates in Shanghai an in-depth look at the southwest Chinese province's rich culture while commemorating the HICC's two-year milestone.

During HICC's second-anniversary celebration ceremony, guests from both China and abroad gathered around the stage to share a cake symbolizing "international friendship."

Yoonyejin from South Korea was totally enchanted by the event. She said what impressed her most was the stamp making, since they have a similar tradition in her home country but for the color. "We use white paper instead of red paper. I was really surprised that they use these red bright colors, but it turned out it made the ink look clearer. I really liked how my stamp turned out, and yeah, it was a really good chance for me to learn about the Chinese culture."

The Youssefs from the United States was planning a trip to Yunnan so they took the event as a preview. Andrew said, "We're going to Kunming and Shangri-La and Lijiang. So when we saw this, we thought wow, we can learn before we go on vacation, prepare ourselves."

Minhang's Huacao Town has long been a pilot area for community governance in neighborhoods with high concentration of foreigners. Leveraging the unique characteristics of its international community and the advantages of its diverse expatriate population and global resources, the town enriches cultural activities, serving as a vital bridge for expats to experience life in Shanghai.

In its international community governance, Huacao Town has consistently placed a high value on cultural integration. It sees this as a key to connecting its diverse neighborhoods, fostering a sense of warmth, and promoting community coexistence.

This community festival was more than just a joyful gathering of Chinese and foreign residents. The HICC has taken further steps to ensure every expat resident finds a sense of belonging and helps build a beautiful, harmonious home together.