International school music bands visited the city for free this summer in return for performing at the International Music Summer Camp For Little Ambassadors in Pudong New Area.
The only thing students needed to pay for is roundtrip airfares.
Pudong district investors spend more than 1 million (US$120,482) yuan annually to hold the program, which started in 2002. It invites choruses, orchestras, and dancing groups from around the world each summer to join.
"We hope the program can enhance communication among children from different countries," said Yuan Liqiang, director of the cultural department from the district's government, "children are our hope."
This time, the 5-day program has attracted more than 700 children from China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, Romania and Morocco.
Each group provided a free performance and represented the culture of its country both in the Shanghai Oriental Art Center and Shanghai Grand Theater last week. The district also invited the students to visit the city's famous scenic spots as a reward.
"To use music to communicate is an acceptable way for those children from different countries," Yuan said.
Though students were not familiar with each other on the first day of campus, all were shocked by a dragon dance, a Chinese traditional dance accompanied with folk music, during the camp's opening ceremony. The dance was performed by children under seven years old.
"That (the dance) is really a surprise (to me)," said a girl from South Korea.
With the dance alternating between movement and stillness, the sound of the Chinese traditional drum and gong sounded louder and weaker.
"I don't think the dance is noisy, I love it," said Marija Veskovic, a visitor from Serbia and Montenegro, who came to see friends perform.
The girl had just visited the Oriental Pearl Tower.
"It's really beautiful to see so many tall buildings from the tower," Veskovic said.
This time the camp settled in East Century High School, a well-equipped location in Pudong New Area. Four students lived in one dormitory room furnished with an air conditioner and four beds. It also included a bathroom.
Except when performing or going on sightseeing trips, students were asked to get up at 6:30am and got to bed at 9:00pm.
"The room we live in is comfortable, but I think we have to get up a little bit too early," said Xue Yi, a Chinese student.
The district also prepared an emergency car in case any accidents happened.
Yuan said the biggest worry was regarding the safety of the international students. But they didn't report any problems during their trip.