Visitor number exceeds 480,000 on 58th day

A total of 481,600 visitors packed the Expo site yesterday, bringing the total number to 19.78 million. The figure is estimated to surpass 20 million this morning.

Among yesterday's visitors, 141,200 were on tour groups and 138,900 visitors used free tickets Shanghai government distributed to local residents.

A total of 34,983 tickets were sold on site, with 12,057 night admissions.

Houtan Gate received about 86,000 visitors, Changqing Road 81,000, and Shangnan Road, Gaoke Road W. about 138,000 in total.

By 5pm, 74 shows were staged, attracting 45,700 spectators. A total of 6,436 volunteers served on the site.

The site is estimated to receive more than 180,000 group visitors today. Individual tourists are advised to enter from less crowded gates at Shangnan Road, Bansongyuan Road or Madang Road during 9am to 11am rush hours.

From today, Expo 2010 official publications, such as the official guidebook, are also available on newsstands at main entrances such as the Bailianjing gate, Luban Road gate and Bansongyuan Road gate. Expo passports will be supplied soon at these spots.

Visitors can also purchase Expo Shanghai publications at the Xinhua bookstore on B2 floor of the Expo Boulevard.

Visitor number hits 20m

The total attendance of Expo 2010 has exceeded 20 million with more than 200,000 visitors flooding to the Expo site this morning despite rain.

The new high was hit at 10:13am.

Visitor flow hit 10 million within only 36 days since the opening of Expo 2010 on May 1, and the total number surged to 20 million just 23 days later.

A total of 481,600 visitors packed the Expo site yesterday, while the figure on Saturday was 552,100.

Fujian offers arts extravaganza

Southern China's Fujian province today began its week-long culture show at the Baosteel Stage in Zone B of Expo's Pudong site by displaying its folk arts, including cart drum parade, puppet show, and Nanyin music, a traditional opera sung in the Minnan (south Fujian) dialect.

On the list are Putian cart drum parade, Fujian hotpot folk dance, Fuzhou Folk Dance with 12 brides, Fujian Minnan "chest batting dance," and a large-scale song and dance performance "Met at the Western Coast of the Taiwan Straits." There will also be a male and female vocal duet "Mountain and River Affection," a song from the Puxian Opera called "Spring Grass," Hakka folk songs, and acrobatics.

About 150 professional performers from the Fujian Provincial Song and Dance Theater, Fujian Province Acrobatic Troupe and others will take part.

The puppets include marionettes, palm puppets and writing puppets.

The pavilion had received more than 920,000 visitors by yesterday. Its theme is "Charming Fujian Province on the West Bank of the Strait."

Canadian band rocks square

Grand Derangement, a Canadian band, performs at the America Square.

Grand Derangement, a Canadian band, performs at the America Square.

Grand Derangement, a Canadian band, performs at the America Square.

Grand Derangement, a Canadian band, performs at the America Square.

Grand Derangement, a Canadian band, yesterday kicked off the six-day celebration of Canada Pavilion Day with their performance at the America Square.

The concert was opened by tap dance and rock music.

Grand Derangement will also perform tonight from 7:30pm to 8:15pm, and 8:45pm to 9:30pm at the same venue.

Grand Derangement comes from Sainte-Marie, an Acadian region in southwest Nova Scotia. Formed in 1998, the group of four musicians and one dancer takes an eclectic musical approach, drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, including French songs, Celtic music, rock, folk and Broadway musicals.

Over their 11-year career, Grand Derangement have staged 750 concerts, released five albums and won two East Coast Music Awards.

Canada Pavilion Day will fall on July 1.

Serbia celebrates National Pavilion Day

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic delivers a speech.

Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng delivers a speech.

Accompanied by China's vice Commissioner general to Expo 2010 Zhou Xiaopei, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic visits China Pavilion.

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, China's vice Commissioner general and other guests visit the Serbia Pavilion.

The band Balkanopolis performs.

Serbia Star performs.

Serbia Pavilion celebrated its National Pavilion Day this morning at Expo Center which was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic.

Serbian Minister of Commerce and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic, Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng, China's vice Commissioner general to Expo 2010 Zhou Xiaopei, and Shanghai Vice Mayor Tang Dengjie attended the ceremony.

Cvetkovic thanked all guests attending Serbia National Pavilion Day as well as Shanghai Municipal Government and Chinese Government for their help to Serbia's participation in Expo 2010.

Expo 2010's participants' number and visitors' number has or will exceed previous Expos, and he believed that countries will promote friendship and offer signals of cooperation at Expo 2010, he said.

He also hoped that Expo 2010 will be a medium of cooperation and friendship as well as he looked forward to offering positive effects.

On behalf of Chinese Government and Expo 2010 Organizing Committee, Han congratulated Serbia on its Pavilion Day.

He also welcomed the Serbian Prime Minister and said that in the Serbia Pavilion, visitors could use a "time machine" to enjoy Serbia's natural scenery as well as its modern urban areas and people's pursuit of a better life.

The pavilion's theme is "City Code" and the exterior design of the pavilion is based on traditional Serbian carpet weaving, a process that symbolizes the unification and harmonizing of ancient and modern. The pavilion adopts the element of "time" to connect not only many interesting exhibits but also past, present and future. There's a "time machine" which can give people the sensation of traveling across time.

Madrid first UBPA case to reach 1 million

Madrid Pavilion became the first Urban Best Practices Area attraction to welcome its 1 millionth visitor yesterday, surprising its officials.

Wang Yiran, 24, a local fashion designer, was the 1 millionth visitor and she was given a gift package - Real Madrid and Atlectico de Madrid soccer jerseys, a designer bag and four meal coupons for the pavilion's restaurant.

"My experience at the Madrid Pavilion has made me remember our precious trip to Madrid," said Wang, who had visited the Spanish capital with her family about one year ago.

The attendance turnaround is quite remarkable as only about 2,600 to 2,700 people a day were visiting the pavilion during the first week of the Expo, according to Ignacio Nino, director of the pavilion. But the pavilion and others at the UBPA became popular after policies were introduced to balance visitor flow between the two banks of the Huangpu River.

The Madrid Pavilion now receives 15,000 people on average every day, far beyond the pavilion's expectations.

The Madrid Pavilion includes the House of Bamboo and the Air Tree.

Apulia region shapes Italy's brilliant future

An exhibition entitled "Apulia: Italian Excellence Designing the Future" opened at the Italy Pavilion yesterday, showcasing Apulia region's valuable experience in creating a sustainable and pleasant city environment and harmonious urban society.

The exhibit will be on display in the pavilion until July 7.

Meanwhile, the Italian Film Festival "Apulia, Scenes to Explore" also kicked off yesterday. A series of films will be screened at the pavilion every day until July 4. The festival features a panorama of the best movies shot in Apulia, offering visitors vivid images that capture the beauty, wildness and romance of a multi-faceted landscape.

One of Italy's most outstanding and promising film directors, Pippo Mezzapesa, attended the opening ceremony. Other attendees included Mario Desiati, chief editor of Fandango, the largest independent Italian production company, and Donatella Botti, producer of the festival's opening movie "L'uomo Nero."

Apulia is a beautiful area in the southeast of Italy, also known as the "Heel of Italy." With its advanced industrial R&D capability, Apulia has become the main region for the production of renewable energy in Italy.

Cambodia celebrates Pavilion Day

Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh delivers a speech.

China's Assistant Minister of Commerce Wang Chao delivers a speech.

Cambodian performers stage dancers.

Cambodian performers stage dancers.

Accompanied by Wang, Cham Prasidh and his spouse watch the animated version of the painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" at China Pavilion.

Accompanied by Cham Prasidh, Wang visits the Cambodia Pavilion.

The Cambodia Pavilion featuring the theme "Cultural Life in the City" today celebrates its National Pavilion Day.

The pavilion's showcase is in accordance with one of the sub-themes of Expo 2010 "Blending of diverse cultures in the city" and is an epitome of Cambodia in different periods, Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh said at this morning's ceremony in the Expo Center.

Visitors to the pavilion will learn about the country's cultural and historical heritage and splendid civilization, he said.

Wang Chao, assistant commerce minister, said strolling around the Cambodia Pavilion is like touring the Angkor Wat temples. At the pavilion, visitors will touch upon the pulse of the country's progress, share its people's joy in their lives and experience their unique understanding and interpretation of "Cultural Life in the City," he said.

The pavilion embodies Cambodia's emphasis on cultural heritage protection and it features three major historical periods: Angkor, Odong and Phnom Penh. They cover Cambodia from ancient times through today.

Exhibitions include archeology, art and culture and feature beautiful landscapes and city living. Natural resources and tourism are also featured.

Exhibits show traditional techniques for building royal monasteries, temples, roads, bridges, reservoirs and hospitals by ancient Cambodians in the Angkor Period.

Norwegian Pavilion greets millionth visitor

Norwegian Pavilion's millionth visitor pose with performers of the pavilion.

The Norwegian Pavilion welcomed its millionth visitor on Friday, 48-year-old air-conditioning technician Zhu Xingwei from Changzhou, Jiangsu Province.

Zhu first thought he had done something wrong because he was pulled aside by State Secretary Halvard Ingebrigtsen from the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry, commissioner general Arild Blixrud and pavilion director Espen Guterud. Until he was congratulated, he realized he was the luckiest visitor to the pavilion so far.

"We chose the Norwegian pavilion because we liked how it looked from the outside, but we had never thought we would get to experience anything like this," said Zhu.

He was given a certificate, the collected works of Norwegian author Knut Hamsun in Chinese, and a four-course dinner for two at the pavilion's seafood restaurant, among other things.

With a daily average of 20,000 visitors, the Norwegian pavilion is now on track to exceeding the initial estimate of three million visitors for the duration of the Expo by a half million.

Brunei Pavilion launches tourism week

The Brunei Darussalam Pavilion will stage dances with strong Southeast Asian flavor to celebrate its tourism week launched today.

Two shows will be presented daily from 10:30am to 11:30am, and 4pm to 5pm until July 2.

The oil-rich country is located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia.

With century-old brass work, silverware and wood works, the pavilion -- with its "Now for the Future" theme -- reflects Brunei Darussalam's commitment to meeting not only the immediate needs of its people, but the long-term aspirations of its youth for future generations.

It showcases its National Vision 2035, a long-term development blueprint to make the country widely recognized for an educated, highly skilled and accomplished people with a quality of life and a dynamic and sustainable economy.

Visitors can enjoy genuine food from Brunei such as the hot and spicy Nasi Katok.

Chance to win signed ball of Liverpool FC

To kick off the Liverpool Pavilion's July "Culture, Health and Sports" month, visitors who wear the football jersey of either of Liverpool's two famous Premier League Clubs, Liverpool FC and Everton FC, on July 1 will have the chance to win a Liverpool FC ball signed by all of this season's Liverpool FC stars including the current Liverpool and England Captain Steven Gerrard.

They will be able to enter the pavilion directly without queuing and win the ball via a lucky draw after providing some basic information to pavilion staff.

All visitors wishing to enter the draw must have provided their details to the Liverpool Pavilion staff by 4pm as the winner will be announced at 5pm.

Turkish delight

A visitor from Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, won a free tour to Turkey as the 8,888th visitor to the Turkey Pavilion today.

On the 8th, 18th and 28th day of every month, the 8,888th guest to the pavilion will win two free tickets sponsored by Turkish Airlines and an eight-day free tour sponsored by Aristo Tours from October 18 to 25.

The pavilion has averaged more than 35,000 visitors per day. It is estimated that about 7 million people will visit the pavilion before the Expo ends.