In the wafting aroma of delicious meals, the busy silhouettes of elders shuttle back and forth. Around tables laden with feasts, families gather, raising toasts in joyous celebration… For most, the Lunar New Year flavor symbolizes the joy of reunion, a dense tapestry of festive colors and warmth. Yet, for some, it represents steadfastness, struggle, and a sense of responsibility.

In Yunnan, a young couple was warmly greeted by “reception personnel” at the airport. The “chartered flight plus chartered vehicle” service, from “doorstep to factory gate,” facilitated their precise return to work. The “time-limited pedestrian street” at noon saw shops opening one after another, with the “sky guards” at intersections starting their vigil simultaneously. “The order here is excellent, very well-organized. It’s really pleasant to walk around here,” commented a citizen out for a stroll with their partner, bestowing a “five-star rating.” For a doctor in obstetrics, working through New Year’s Eve is just another day in her over two-decade career, involving shift handovers, patient rounds, case discussions, and monitoring the health of mothers and newborns. The “family reunion” inside a nursing home was equally heartwarming, with residents saying, “I’m not leaving, we’re celebrating the New Year together.” The “exceptionally rich and tasty” complimentary meals in university campuses also carried a “hometown flavor.”

With the spirit of the dragon and horse in our hearts, and the "Dedication Fortune" in our hands, today we’ll showcase the vibrant and inspiring figures in the new practices of People’s City.

Yunnan Young Couple at the Airport Greeted by Warm “Reception Personnel” — From “Doorstep to Factory Gate,” Return to Work Achieves “Precision Arrival”

After six years in Shanghai, Guan Yonghui from Yunnan met his girlfriend, also from Yunnan. This Spring Festival, they returned home together and then came back to Shanghai to start a new year of life.

Recently, upon their arrival at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, they were greeted by the enthusiastic staff of the district’s Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. “Seeing this welcoming ceremony was quite surprising. Receiving the call about the chartered flight was unbelievable, as the airfares are quite expensive this year, indeed saving us a considerable amount,” said Guan Yonghui.

The arrival of this group of workers from Yunnan marked the beginning of our district's "chartered flight plus chartered vehicle" initiative to transport labor for employment. Yang Lei, a girl from Lijiang, Yunnan, who has been working in Shanghai for five years, also felt pleasantly surprised. She is full of hope for the future: “It’s very convenient and made us feel the warmth of Shanghai's people. I hope everything goes well in Shanghai this year in terms of work and life.”

We learned that considering the high demand for labor in some Shanghai enterprises after the Spring Festival, and the limited airline capacity during the period, the district’s Human Resources and Social Security Bureau planned and initiated the chartered flight service in advance. Intensive efforts were made to survey employment situations, tallying new and returning workers, securing flights and tickets early on. Simultaneously, coordination was carried out with vehicle rental companies in both regions to provide transportation support, facilitating “point-to-point” and “group” employment in Shanghai for workers from partner regions.

In 2023, the Bureau conducted multiple research trips to Yunnan to explore key challenges and solutions in labor cooperation, striving to improve the quality and efficiency of such collaborations. The annual employment rates of rural labor and those lifted out of poverty from partner regions in Yunnan reached 766.82% and 320%, respectively.

Apart from familiar faces like Guan Yonghui and Yang Lei, there were many first-time job seekers in Shanghai, such as He Xinyuan, a Naxi girl, who found suitable employment in the city through the joint efforts of the Human Resources and Social Security departments of Yangpu and Yunnan. 

"For migrant workers, skills are of paramount importance. Moving forward, we will continue to provide excellent services in skill enhancement and equity maintenance," a representative from the District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau stated.

Next, the Bureau aims to continuously promote labor collaboration between central and western regions and build a bridge for enterprises and migrant workers to meet each other's needs. This includes the focused implementation of the "Eight Special Services," launching the "Stable Employment Services" to ensure policy benefits reach directly to enterprises, aiding in their stable operation and healthy development. Attention is also given to migrant workers staying in Shanghai, with the "Heartwarming Assistance Services" offering free movie screenings and distributing Spring Festival gift packages to convey warmth. Additionally, the "Equity Maintenance Services" are being robustly executed, with a special campaign to eradicate wage arrears, ensuring migrant workers receive their due salaries promptly and in full. This approach promotes a comprehensive "Labor Rights Protection + Employment Assistance" service cycle.

"Everything is in perfect order, making a walk here truly pleasant" — "Sky Guards" and Street Vendors Open for Business Together

Mr. Wang, a resident near University Road, was eager to see the first Lunar New Year scene of the "time-limited pedestrian street" on University Road, and naturally, he didn't want to miss it.

Recently at noon, Mr. Wang and his partner came for a stroll. "We just wanted to take a walk and have a meal today. I was worried about the crowd during the Spring Festival, but to my surprise, the order here is excellent, very well-organized, making it really pleasant to walk around," Mr. Wang said with a smile.

As the street vendors started opening their shops, a drone took off at the intersection of University Road and Zhixing Road. This electronic patrol, introduced by our district police in recent years, offers a wide and distant view with high precision. The drone, like an "aerial patrol officer," overlooks the entire road section, facilitating traffic flow and assisting in the dynamic adjustment of patrol personnel.

During the holiday period, the District Traffic Police Brigade incorporated drones into their regular patrolling plan, conducting daily inspections of University Road and the surrounding roads of Wujiaochang. Furthermore, the Traffic Police Brigade fully staffed their street-duty police force, working in tandem with the drones to ensure "ground-air coordination" and maintain smooth road conditions.

We noted that besides on-site deployment, our district has also achieved remote drone operations. Personnel at University Road can control drones flying from the Xinjiangwancheng hangar in just 5 minutes. "With the hangar set up, we can launch and land drones remotely," said Liu Chengjie, Deputy Commander of the Traffic Police Detachment of the Yangpu Branch of Shanghai Public Security Bureau. "The advantage of drones is that we can not only monitor individual intersections through public video but also obtain a more comprehensive view of the road network with drones, allowing us to respond more swiftly in emergency situations."

"Fire extinguishers must be placed in conspicuous locations," "Fire exits must remain clear" ... On the other end of University Road, police officers from the Wujiaochang Police Station were conducting fire safety inspections at the street vendors, focusing on whether fire extinguishing equipment is placed as required, whether flammable and explosive materials are stored, and urging shop owners and property managers to implement safety management measures in densely populated areas.

Additionally, during the Spring Festival, the "Peace House" located at the intersection of University Road and Zhixing Road was open 24 hours a day, gathering police officers, security guards, and community volunteers as part of a collective security effort. "Anyone facing difficulties can seek help at the 'Peace House'. Its personnel will also be present on the streets for hazard inspections, ensuring the safety of everyone," said Yin Chao, a police officer from the Wujiaochang Police Station.

Since the inauguration of the "time-limited pedestrian street" on University Road in May last year, its popularity has surged. The local police force has strictly implemented a "one-point-one-plan" working requirement, tailoring a sophisticated "technology plus manpower" management model specifically for University Road. The flashing red and blue police lights throughout the streets and alleys have brought a visible sense of security to citizens, tourists, and merchants.

Duty and Compassion "All Year Round" — She Embraces "The Joy of New Life," He Rolls Up His Sleeves to Deliver Hope

"This girl is experiencing delayed intrauterine growth, and there is a scarcity of amniotic fluid... we must closely monitor her condition..." Recently, in the neonatal room of the district central hospital, the routine of shift changes, patient rounds, and case discussions continued as usual. For Ma Lishan, the deputy director of obstetrics, New Year's Eve was just another day in her more than twenty-year career. "For those of us on the front line, our primary duty is to stand firm at every post," Ma Lishan remarked.

Ma Lishan's husband is also an obstetrician, and spending New Year's Eve apart is the norm for them. "Although we can't have the New Year's Eve dinner with our family, guarding the safety of our pregnant patients and seeing them holding their babies fills us with immense happiness."

During the Spring Festival, the silent dedication of the "Ma Lishans" brought the joy of new life to many families. Similarly, ordinary citizens with a year-round commitment to kindness also delivered hope to many.

Xu Wei, 55, is an enthusiastic blood donor, donating blood almost a dozen times each year, sometimes even exhausting his 20-donation limit ahead of time.

Recently, dressed in "New Year red," Xu Wei visited the Shanghai Blood Center Xiangyin Donation Site (Bilibili-themed blood donation house) to donate blood components. "Donating blood during the New Year feels even more meaningful."

Donating blood components takes more time than whole blood donations, nearly two hours each time, but the interval between donations is shorter, just two weeks, allowing up to 20 donations a year. "I chose to donate blood components because I want to help more people. I feel it doesn’t affect my body much, just like getting an injection," said Xu Wei.

"Inspections Can't Go Unstaffed, I'll Stay" — In the Daily Rescue Patrols, He Became Yangpu's "Living Map"

The homeless individual, Mr. Wang (pseudonym), who loved to stay under bridges, left Yangpu late last year. "He's not back yet, but his belongings are still here! There are blankets, clothes, cushions..." One afternoon in February, under the Weier River Bridge on Jiangwan City Road, rescue team members from the Yangpu District Relief Management Station were conducting a focused patrol, searching for Mr. Wang. His disappearance had left the team worried, and such searches had been conducted multiple times. The empty bedding and meal boxes indicated that Mr. Wang had not returned, so the team reluctantly continued their search.

The Spring Festival is a time for family reunions, but for Mr. Liu, a driver at the district's relief management station, it signifies a commitment to his duty. Known among his team members as "Old Liu," his full name is Liu Wenlong, hailing from Nantong, Jiangsu. Having worked in the patrol unit of the relief station for nearly a decade, he is referred to as Yangpu's "living map." He knows every corner where homeless individuals have been spotted and which areas require regular patrols. "Drive slowly, stay steady, and stop immediately upon seeing any homeless individuals by the roadside..." Liu Wenlong meticulously lists the hospitals, commercial districts, overpasses, and open spaces in our district, paying extra attention during each patrol.

Every departure of the rescue team is a collaborative effort, with tasks like driving, searching for people, and communication being distributed among members. This has turned them into a warm "extended family" in their daily work. As one of the few experienced drivers in the team, Liu Wenlong decided to forego returning home for the New Year to ensure the safety of the streets. "To say I don't miss home would be a lie. Who doesn't want to go back? But we have few drivers in our patrol unit, and inspections can't go unstaffed, so I chose to stay and let the younger ones go home," said Liu Wenlong.

During this year's Spring Festival, the district's relief management station arranged daily street patrols and set up emergency teams on standby at night. On New Year's Eve, the on-duty personnel shared the New Year's Eve dinner with the homeless individuals staying at the station.

Hu Qiujun, a staff member at the district's relief management station, noted that some assisted individuals stayed at the station during the Spring Festival. Apart from enjoying the New Year's Eve dinner, the staff also invited them to participate in festive activities at the station, such as writing Spring Festival couplets, hanging lanterns, and solving lantern riddles, celebrating the Lunar New Year together.