Disadvantaged children from earthquake-ravaged Dujiangyan City in Sichuan Province and Yushu area in southern Qinghai Province tour the pavilion.

Life and Sunshine Pavilion, the first pavilion especially designed for disadvantaged people during World Expo's 159-year history, yesterday celebrated the opening of its pavilion week.

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, Shanghai Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng and Deng Pufang, chairman of the China Foundation for Disabled Persons, attended the ceremony and visited the exhibition yesterday.

Hui said the aim was to make very disadvantaged person feel the sunshine of care and love.

The pavilion calls for more understanding and attention for disadvantaged people through various exhibitions to ensure them a better life in the future.

Its themes are the elimination of discrimination, the alleviation of poverty, a passion for life and a fair society and a better urban life for disadvantaged people.

Zhang Haidi, chairwoman of the China Disabled Persons Federation, invited people all over the world to visit the pavilion.

Jin Jing, an ambassador of the Expo, briefed the guests on the facts of the pavilion, while pianist Liu Shikun played piano with Sun Yan, who is a blind musician.

Hui encouraged deaf sculptor Cao Ruiqiang to create more beautiful works. Cao's work "Life Wall" is exhibited.

Visitors will experience a completely dark zone where they can only perceive the environment by smell, hearing and touch.

They will also be able to experience what it's like to play football if they were blind by using special equipment.

In an "intelligent living" area, high-tech facilities such as an automatic kitchen, an automated bathroom and a wheelchair that can climb stairs will demonstrate how the lives of disadvantaged people can be made easier.

A gala "My Dream," which is in its sixth version and includes singing, Peking opera, ballet and instrumental solos, was staged at Shanghai World Expo Center yesterday night.

China has 83 million disabled people, 6.34 percent of the population.