In a highlight of the event, table tennis Olympic champion Fan Zhendong was appointed as Shanghai's first Urban Civilization Ambassador. Shanghai-based US internet celebrity Lila became the city's first Special Speaker for Urban Civilization.

Together with civic representatives, they launched the "urban civilization open mic" initiative, designed to encourage citizens to share their experiences in urban development.

"Every person needs a stage to be seen and heard. The urban civilization open mic provides such a grand stage," Fan said. "I encourage citizens from all walks of life to share their stories about urban civilization on this platform."

The open mic initiative will roll out throughout 2025. The second quarter will feature district-level events. This will be followed by six specialized municipal-level selection events in the third quarter, culminating in a presentation in the fourth quarter where selected speakers will share their experiences and perspectives on urban civilization.

The municipal-level event will be followed by district activities aimed at promoting urban civilization through widespread citizen participation and institutional cooperation.