Welcome reception and meals (free event)

The welcome reception on Monday evening will be a Hangzhou-style reception, which is included in the conference registration and will feature:

Local Delicacies: Hangzhou-style snacks like Longjing tea-infused shrimp crackers, osmanthus flower cakes, mung bean pastries, and seasonal rice dumplings. Beverages: Self-serve Longjing tea, chrysanthemum herbal drink, osmanthus honey water, and non-alcoholic hawthorn juice. A limited selection of local rice wine (yellow wine) will be available for those over 18.

The event will be accompanied by a live guzheng (Chinese zither) performance to showcase traditional culture.

Free lunch will be provided. This includes a Chinese-style lunch box featuring traditional Hangzhou dishes. Alternatively, sandwiches are also available upon request.

Free coffee breaks will showcase Hangzhou's culinary heritage with:

Local Pastries: Dingsheng Cake (glutinous rice cake with red bean paste), Lotus-shaped Pastries, Osmanthus Flower Cakes, and Longjing Tea Shortbread. Beverages: Freshly brewed Longjing tea, hand-pressed sugarcane juice, and Western-style coffee paired with Chinese date cookies.

The poster session areas will be positioned adjacent to food stations, where delegates can sample Hangzhou snacks like Pian'erchuan noodles (noodles with pork and bamboo shoots) or chestnut-stuffed pastries while networking. Complimentary purified water and Longjing tea will be available throughout the day.

If budget permits, a closing reception will be held on the final day at a lakeside venue, featuring live tea ceremonies, osmanthus-flavored rice cakes, and traditional Chinese desserts. This event may be adjusted based on attendee numbers or unforeseen cost fluctuations.