A web page designing contest exclusive for the elderly has attracted more than 5,000 participants above 50 years old over the past two weeks in Shanghai, the organizer said on Tuesday. 

The contest is aimed at encouraging more and more senior citizens in Shanghai to learn better about the Internet world, said Ma Haitao, executive vice secretary-general of the Shanghai Internet Services Association, a non-governmental organization. 

Participants are expected to contribute their works to the organizer before Nov. 25 to receive on-line voting by the netizens, and the results will come out on Nov. 30, Ma said. 
The finalists will get free training on web page designing and the eldest participant will be awarded an honorary title of "The Most Senior Participant," he said. 

The contest has won the support of the local government authorities concerned, such as the Shanghai Municipal Informatization Commission, he said. 

China has about 30 million personal web pages. The elderly people should be given a stage for web-designing as Shanghai has about 2.6 million people above the ago 60 years old out of the city's 17 million population, according to Ma. 
"The elderly people should not be neglected in this regard," he said. 

It is expected that more elderly people will sign up for the contest as the deadline sets on the end of this month, he added. 

"We elderly people should improve ourselves with the Internet to shorten the distance between us and the young people," said 60-year-old participant Wang Zhiqiang. 

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