Volunteers in red vests organize an activity that spreads the word about the right way of sorting refuse in Shengzhou, Zhejiang province on June 7. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

During the Dragon Boat Festival which fell on June 7 this year, more than 20 volunteer groups across Shengzhou, a county-level city in Zhejiang province, helped out during the festivities, donating their time, skills and knowledge.

Over 1,000 volunteers joined various cultural activities at the festival, helping to teach people about calligraphy and opera singing, as well as helping to pass the word on about the best ways of sorting refuse in public areas. Organizers said they aimed to create a more harmonious atmosphere -- to counter the increasingly distant interpersonal relationships in modern society.

Volunteers gather to make zongzi, the pyramid-shaped dumplings of glutinous rice wrapped in reed leaves, for the Dragon Boat Festival in Shengzhou in Zhejiang province on June 7. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

The launch of the voluntary services at the Dragon Boat Festival also marked the beginning of a six-month event celebrating the culture of voluntary work in Shengzhou.

Organizers said that with its aim of promoting voluntary spirits and enhancing social harmony, the event will help strengthen neighborhood ties and help people regain closer bonds with each other through voluntary activities.

Helping your neighbors out is a traditional Chinese value that should be cherished and promoted in the modern world, said Ding Xiaole, who was in charge of the voluntary event.

A volunteer demonstrates calligraphy at the Dragon Boat Festival in Shengzhou, in Zhejiang, on June 7. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

Shengzhou initiated voluntary work focusing on building up neighborhood ties last August. Organizers said that over the past year, the value of the work has been recognized by all sectors of society.

Currently, there are over 100 volunteer groups in the city and more than 3,000 families are involved in the initiative. These people organize activities voluntarily to help improve the living environment of their communities and play an active role in bringing residents closer together.