On the evening of July 27,the Shanghai International Children's Cultural & Art Festival 2014 began with a wonderful opening ceremony at Shanghai Grand Stage! Since its debut in 1994, the Shanghai International Children's Cultural & Art Festival held once every three years has welcomed its seventh round. TheArt Festival this year, with its continual adherence to the main theme of "Peace, Friendship, and Future", focuses on "One Planet, One Dream" as its individual theme and boasts the participation of nearly 1,300 little performers of 22 children's art troupes from 12 countries and regions of the world.

On the brilliantly decorated stage, 6 little performers from various countries kicked off the opening ceremony of the occasion with the song For Our Beautiful Earth.

The lively and cheerful atmosphere was further lit up by the songs and dances of the delegation groups from all participating countries and nations. The children from different parts of the world presented their unique mien with wonderful performances like the bold and rough aboriginal dance of New Zealand, the passionate and joyous dance of Russia, the piano playing featuring highlights one after another by Chinese and German performers, the tranquil and graceful dance of Hawaii, and the boys' chorus with a unique Beijing style by the children from Wenzhou, China.

In addition, a warm and moving story was told on the opening ceremony. 20 years ago, a magical drifting bottle floated across the ocean from Shanghai to South Africa before it was finally accepted by a seven-year-old girl named Hardie，who accepted the invitation carried by the bottle and attended the first Art Festival, which markedthe beginning of a 20-year long friendship. Hardie, now a grownup from South Africa, stepped on the stage with Gao Yilu, the boy from Shanghai who sent out the drifting bottle that year. Currently Hardie is already an architect and Gao Yilu an aviation expert.

This summer Shanghai will be the common world for the children from across the globe.