Hangzhoufel Highlights Awards: a call for unsung ambassadors

What defines Hangzhou’s vibe for the world this year?

Since 2017, Hangzhoufeel—the official international communication platform of  Hangzhou, operated by the Hangzhou International Communication Center— has been dedicated to capturing and sharing the city’s most authentic stories. While we track social media trends and keywords across global flatforms, our mission goes far beyond the numbers. With a strong focus on storytelling, we seek out and weave together real Hangzhou stories shared by average people around the world.

On February 4, we will host the Hangzhoufeel Highlights Awards ceremony to celebrate the unsung ambassadors who have helped the world fall in love with our city.

We want to hear from you!

We are looking for individuals, groups, or creative projects that showcased the beauty of Hangzhou to the globe in 2025. You can nominate yourself or someone you know.

We are looking for stories like these:

1.A local resident who helped international friends discover Hangzhou through social media or simple, everyday conversations, while studying, working, or traveling abroad.

2.An international friends living or studying in Hangzhou who actively shares their local experiences and insights with their communities and online.

3. A local group, team, or family that organized a cultural exchange event—even if the impact was initially felt only within a single neighborhood or school.

4.Someone who created a viral video, wrote a compelling article, or organized an event or concert that resonated with an international audience.

Please don’t worry if your contribution feels modest. These are exactly the stories we want to tell. We are searching for those authentic, grassroots moments created by regular persons that, when woven together, show the world the true, vibrant spirit of Hangzhou.

How to Participate:

Deadline: From now until February 2, 2026.

How to Enter: Scan the QR code below to submit your story or nomination.

We will select 3 to 5 storytellers to be featured at our event. Even if you aren't selected as a speaker, all nominees are invited to join us on the afternoon of February 4 for the ceremony which is also a special Chinese New Year celebration!

Source: Hangzhoufeel