By Li Qian
Top honor
A life sciences innovation developed by two Jing'an Beauty Nova Tech Hub companies won a top award at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, highlighting China's biotech research growth.
Shanghai Fanyi Bioengineering & Life Sciences and Shanghai Fanyi Integrative Health Technologies Co Ltd won the Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury for their "System-level Remodeling of Cellular Microenvironments," a platform that improves cell function through coordinated biological signaling rather than single-target interventions.
The International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, one of the world's largest invention expos, has been in existence since 1973. This year, over 1,400 projects from 40 countries and regions, including a record 237 from China, participated in the event.
The companies said the technology has already been commercialized through the skincare brand SCHÖN and could later be applied to organ repair research, biomaterials and broader longevity-health applications.
International cultural exchange
More than 160 Romanian students visiting Shanghai took part in a Qingming Festival cultural exchange event at the Pengpu Town Community Cultural Center in Jing'an District on April 5.
The program introduced the group to the traditions of Qingming, a spring festival focused on honoring ancestors and seasonal renewal. Participants attended workshops on the holiday's history before joining hands-on sessions in kite-making and Chinese calligraphy. Students painted paper kites, practiced writing Chinese characters, and learned brush techniques from local instructors. A calligraphy exhibition also gave visitors a closer look at one of China's most enduring art forms.
Table tennis
The 2026 Shanghai Table Tennis Carnival Mixed Team Championship Jing'an District qualifiers began on April 19. A total of 59 teams are competing across three qualifying rounds, with participants aged 10 to 70.
Former world champions, Cao Yanhua, Shi Zhihao and Yan Sen, were named ambassadors for the event.
Matches are being staged outside traditional sports arenas, including community fitness facilities and shopping complexes. The district finals are scheduled for May 10.
Immersive show
A new virtual-reality exhibition exploring the construction of Egypt's pyramids opened on April 25 at HKRI Taikoo Hui.
"The Secret of the Pyramid Builders" is the sequel to "Horizon of Khufu," a globally popular immersive experience created by French studio Excurio. The show transports viewers 4,500 years to ancient Egypt using free-roaming virtual reality technology. Groups of visitors navigate a blended physical and digital environment. Modern theories on pyramid construction, including stone transport systems, Nile shipping routes, labor organizations and construction methods, draw on recent archaeological findings.
It also recreates the "Diary of Merer," one of the earliest written records of pyramid building, so visitors can follow ancient stone shipments along the Nile and learn how massive resources were organized.
Public art
Life Hub @ Daning was turned into a public arts space on March 28 as part of Jing'an's Aesthetic Education Day, an initiative bringing cultural programming into everyday urban settings.
The commercial complex featured live music performances and a range of hands-on workshops, from Zumba and percussion to traditional crafts such as puppet-making and ancient brocade accessories.
A parallel cultural market showcased demonstrations linked to Shanghai-style traditional medicine, leathercraft and incense-making.
The event also hosted the semi-finals of an international family theater competition launched in February, which attracted nearly 1,000 family teams nationwide, with 100 advancing to the latest stage.
Vivian Maier exhibition
A major retrospective of Vivian Maier at Fotografiska Shanghai has revived the once-obscure nanny whose private archive made her one of the most intriguing voices in 20th-century street photography.
"Vivian Maier: Unseen Work," on view through July 19, features over 200 black-and-white and color photographs from Maier's travels in Asia, including Hong Kong and Macao.
Her Rolleiflex, Leica and trademark hat, as well as 8mm film footage, are on display.
Maier, born in New York City in 1926 and raised partly in France, worked as a nanny for most of her life while photographing city streets privately. Over five decades, she produced more than 150,000 images, largely unknown during her lifetime.
Global Taste in Shanghai
The "Americas Flavor Season" has launched this month on Wujiang Road, introducing a three-month food carnival featuring cuisines from across the Americas. The initiative is part of the citywide "Global Taste in Shanghai" campaign, which highlights a different culinary theme each quarter. This season features a Brazilian tango barbecue night market, a Mexican culture festival and a Caribbean-themed showcase.
A total of 2 million yuan (US$ 293,484) in dining vouchers will be issued in four rounds via Meituan and Dianping platforms. The program will offer dining and shopping packages in the district's major commercial areas in May. Late-night American menus will debut on Nanjing Road W. in June to coincide with the FIFA World Cup.
(Souce: Shanghai Daily)
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