College students have been invited to take part in an advertisement design competition to showcase the charm of the newly opened Suzhou Creek waterfront in downtown Shanghai.

The 20th Shanghai International College Students Advertising Festival was launched in Putuo District yesterday to select young professionals for the advertising industry.

This year’s competition is themed “Suzhou Creek,” a 125-kilometer-long waterway that originates in Jiangsu Province’s Taihu Lake and winds through the cities of Suzhou, Kunshan and Shanghai before emptying into the Huangpu River.

Since Shanghai opened its port in 1843, the creek has been the backdrop for dramatic landmarks in the city’s history. It was the scene of wartime suffering and the birthplace of China’s earliest national industries.

Riverside development spanning 42kms has encompassed Huangpu, Hongkou, Jing’an, Putuo, Changning and Jiadingdistricts. Half of the creek’s downtown section is in Putuo.

“The college students are expected to be inspired by the century-old industrial civilization along Suzhou Creek,” said Zhou Hanyan, director and Party chief of the Putuo District Culture and Tourism Bureau, at the festival’s opening ceremony.

“Their innovative works will help Putuo develop a world-class urban culture and recreational belt along the creek,” Zhou added.