The annual Scarlet Sails festival to celebrate Russian high school graduations was held from Saturday night to early Sunday morning in St. Petersburg, Russia, with tens of thousands of graduates celebrating the start of their adult lives.
Traditionally, graduates make a wish while watching the "Rossiya", a two-masted sailing ship, sail by on the Neva River.
On Palace Square in the city center, performers took to the stage, celebrating together with the spectators.
"I watched the festival on TV almost every year, and my parents and I regularly went to rehearsals, so I've seen it, but the feeling when this celebration happens for me is completely different," said Maria Timkina, a graduate of the Anichkov Lyceum in St. Petersburg.
Other graduates shared their joy and excitement about the celebration and their graduations.
"We are happy, we are glad to be graduates. Everything is so beautiful and fun. This holiday is about dreams and hopes; it is necessary for all graduates," said Violetta Lapteva, a graduate from School No. 619 in St. Petersburg.
"Anticipation of a storm of emotions, flashes of light, fireworks! That's all!" said Grigory Kholodov, a graduate from the Anichkov Lyceum in St. Petersburg.
For the first time in the history of the Scarlet Sails festival, the "Rossiya" was not alone on the Neva River. A firebird, a complex pyrotechnic device with a wingspan of 25 meters, was specially designed and placed alongside the boat on the river. It took six months to develop and underwent extensive testing, all to turn reality into a fairy tale and make every graduate's dream come true.
Grand "Scarlet Sails" graduation celebration held in St. Petersburg
The 140th edition of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, entered its third day on Saturday, with a wave of AI-powered products making their debuts and injecting fresh momentum into China's export growth.
The event opened to visitors in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province on Thursday, and will be held in three phases through Nov 4.
The latest edition of the fair is showcasing 235,000 AI products, while more than 20,000 exhibitors have adopted different kinds of new technologies. Booths featuring the latest AI products have been drawing crowds, with visitors waiting in long queues to try out the exhibits.
"[The Canton Fair] really gets more popular every year. By around 9:30, people were already queuing in two lines. Some buyers did not want to wait to try the products, so they just bought them on the spot," said exhibitor Liang Linchao.
"The enthusiasm of Canton Fair [buyers] has exceeded my expectations. About one-third of customers want to take one home immediately after the fair ends. That gives us great confidence to explore and expand our overseas markets," said another exhibitor Cui Wei.
Beyond creating business opportunities, products showcased at the Canton Fair can also make a difference in the lives of people in need.
Max Young, who was visiting the Canton Fair for the third time, brought his mother along this time. The mother and son had expected to simply soak up the bustling atmosphere, but an exoskeleton robotic device they came across brought them an unexpected surprise.
His mother, who has had difficulty walking since suffering a stroke, was able to stand up and walk with the help of the device.
"It just keeps my legs going. It's good. Yes, it's good," said his mother, Suzanne Elliott, almost bursting into tears.
"Last year she had a stroke, so the left-hand side of her body is a little bit weaker. About one year ago she couldn't walk or stand up at all. We tried this one today. It seems very good. I think it would help her to get better," said Young.
At the 140th Canton Fair, many exhibitors are accelerating the rollout of research achievements into real application scenarios, turning technological strengths into market advantages and making the fair a major showcase for technological innovation.
"Extremely impressive. Just everything about the efficiency and just how vast and large everything is. We saw a lot of production now is gone to robotics production, AI technology, less humans, really advanced and precise, a lot of precision manufacturing. I think innovation is starting here now. I think now the initiation is here, the R and D is here, and the creativity is coming from China. Very, very impressed," said Canadian buyer Yehuda Klein.
Serving as a barometer and wind vane of China's foreign trade, this year's fair, marking its 70th anniversary, features innovation, intelligence, greater specialization and higher quality.
The Canton Fair is one of the world's few one-stop trade platforms offering a complete range of products with convenience and efficiency, while bringing together the latest products and technologies.
AI products take center stage at 140th Canton Fair, showcasing innovation, offering real-world benefits
AI products take center stage at 140th Canton Fair, showcasing innovation, offering real-world benefits
