Yantai hosts online Mid-Autumn celebration connecting Shandong people worldwide

Chinese and foreign singers perform a Chinese song titled "I'm Waiting for You in Yantai" together. [Photo/Jiaodong Net]

Yantai in East China's Shandong province held a Mid-Autumn Festival event online on Sept 24, bringing together Shandong natives from around the globe. The event aimed to strengthen emotional bonds with hometowns, showcase local developments, and promote cultural exchange.

The celebration featured virtual gatherings, digital experiences, and live interactions, attracting attendees from over 60 countries and regions. A key highlight was the "Hometown Hub" initiative, which bridges overseas Shandong people to stay connected with their roots. During the event, new stationmasters received e-certificates, and foreign friends were appointed as "City Ambassadors".

Innovative technology played a central role, with digital hosts guiding online tours of Yantai's landscapes and cultural treasures. A special segment featured a real-time cross-border interaction between volunteers in Russia and hosts in Yantai, blending traditional mooncakes with Russian delicacies like pirog. The event also introduced "Hometown Passport", a service offering cultural and tourism benefits, along with a mini-program designed to provide news and services for overseas Shandong communities.

In addition, the event highlighted Yantai's economic vitality and local products, with representatives from time-honored brands and rural villages presenting their goods. The celebration culminated in the sharing of a large mooncake symbolizing reunion and a stunning drone light show along Yantai's coastline, embracing hometown residents and overseas compatriots in a heartfelt virtual gathering.

The event reinforced emotional and cultural ties among global Shandong communities while enhancing Yantai's image as an open, dynamic, and hospitable city.