On the night of September 29, the Yangpu session of the Shanghai International Light and Shadow Festival, with the theme "Youthful Charm of Yangpu Life Belt", kicked off at the WorldSkills Museum in Yangpu Riverside. Among the attendees were Deng Jianping, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director General of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Greening and Urban Appearance Management; Xue Kan, Secretary of the CPC Yangpu District Committee; Zhou Haiying, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Yangpu District Committee and Head of Yangpu District; Wang Yongqian, Director of the Xinhua News Agency Shanghai Office; Tan Youlin, Deputy Director General of the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau; Zhou Rong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Yangpu District Committee; and Xu Jianhua, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yangpu District Committee and Deputy Head of Yangpu District.

At the opening ceremony, Deng, Xue, Zhou, and Wang jointly initiated the event by activating the countdown screen, unveiling a map of light and shadow installations, and declaring the official opening of the Yangpu session of the Shanghai International Light and Shadow Festival.

Xu noted that as the place where the people's city concept was first proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, Yangpu has leveraged its strategic location along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek as an international city to create a world-class waterfront area, focusing on creating a nightscape with Yangpu's characteristics. It uses landscape lighting to highlight the distinctive urban night scenery, show the vitality of urban development, and accentuate its brand features. As the host of a session of the First Shanghai International Light and Shadow Festival, Yangpu will showcase its image as a city of culture, openness, innovation, livability, and prosperity through diverse and creative light installations, aiming to make every resident feel the warmth and beauty of Yangpu's endeavor in people's city building. A heartfelt invitation is extended to all to illuminate Yangpu, metaphorically transforming individual lights into a radiant beam and scattered fires into a unified torch, thereby continuously driving the high-quality development of Yangpu.

Hao Luoxi, a professor and doctoral supervisor at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Vice-President of the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), and Chief Expert of the Shanghai International Light and Shadow Festival; together with Sun Kaijun, Chairman of Shanghai Luoman Technologies Inc., delivered speeches.

As the music began, Green Hill came alive under the projection of light and shadow, resembling rippling waves and twinkling stars. Drone squads took flight, performing a spectacular display that evokes a futuristic, sci-fi world, highlighting the city's youthful and vibrant spirit. Even the old power plant chimney was transformed into a charming giraffe and scenes from the classic Journey to the West, with the ever-changing lights in the night sky seeming to imbue it with endless vitality.

The festival brought together artists and designers from around the globe to collaborate with residents on light installations. It also coincided with other festive events such as the Shanghai College Student Tourism Festival and the German Beer Festival, amplifying the "Yangpu Life Belt" brand and creating a cross-river synergy with the Pudong New Area for the First Shanghai International Light and Shadow Festival. Catering to diverse visitors, the event is a playground for children's imaginations, a romantic backdrop for couples' photos, and a guide to a variety of gourmet options in nearby shopping malls, coffee shops, and restaurants. Visitors can indulge in a feast for the eyes and the palate, enjoying a holistic experience of relaxation and enjoyment.