SHANGHAI, April 20 -- The 2007 Shanghai International Children's Cultural and Art Festival will be held from July 28 to August 3.

More than 2,000 children from 20-plus countries and regions, aged between nine and 16, will gather in the city. The one-week festival will feature a forum, a grand party, exchange performances and the 2007 International Children's Drama Festival. Meanwhile, a children's painting contest was launched in the city yesterday. Sponsored by Italian fashion brand Benetton, the contest encourages children of all nationalities aged between five and nine to paint on paper-made T shirts. For more details, call 5049-6049.