A global call for "My City, My Home" visual submission campaign for the upcoming World Cities Day has officially kicked off in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, inviting people around the world to submit photos and short videos to share stories of urban development.
World Cities Day, celebrated annually on October 31 since 2014, is the first UN-designated international day dedicated to cities. Fuzhou will host the Global Observance of World Cities Day 2026.
As part of the Observance, the "My City, My Home" campaign aims to enhance the global influence of World Cities Day, encourage greater public participation, and promote the concept of sustainable urban development through a campaign open to everyone.
According to the announcement for the campaign, individuals, families, communities, schools, social organizations and other groups are all welcome to participate. The submissions should closely reflect the annual theme of this year's World Cities Day -- Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All.
Participants should form a square frame with the thumbs and index fingers of both hands to frame scenes that showcase the livability and renewal of their cities, and then take photos or short videos. This signature gesture symbolizes houses that shelter people, evokes the outline of early walled cities, and represents a perspective through which to capture the beauty of cities.
Participants are encouraged to start their videos with opening lines such as "This is my city". They are also encouraged to include in their photos and videos an introduction to the city and the filming location, the reasons why the selected scene reflects urban regeneration or livability, and personal stories related to the city.
The submission period runs from the date of publication until 11:59 p.m. on October 14 (Beijing Time). Photos and videos may be submitted via Douyin or to the designated email address Mycitymyhome@outlook.com.
Photos and videos may be submitted in either 9:16 vertical or 16:9 horizontal format. Each video should be at least 5 seconds long.
Outstanding submissions will be selected for inclusion in the official campaign video, which will be presented at the opening ceremony of the Global Observance of World Cities Day 2026 in Fuzhou on October 31, and screened the same day on public displays at the main venue in Fuzhou as well as in selected cities across China and abroad. (Edited by Li Xueqing with Xinhua Silk Road, lixueqing@xinhua.org)
A single purchase
