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Brief Introduction of World Expo Shanghai

Duration:
May 1 to Oct 31, 2010
Expected Visitors:
70 million
Expected Participants:
200

World Expositions are galleries of human inspirations and thoughts. Since 1851 when the Great Exhibition of Industries of All Nations was held in London, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, demonstrating esprit de corps and looking to the future.

With a long civilisation, China favours international exchange and loves world peace. China owes its successful bid for the World Exposition in 2010 to the international community's support for and confidence in its reform and opening-up. The Exposition will be the first registered World Exposition in a developing country, which gives expression to the expectations the world's people place on China's future development.

So what will Expo 2010 Shanghai China deliver to the world? There is no doubt the Chinese people will present to the world a successful, splendid and unforgettable exposition.

Expo 2010 Shanghai China will be a great event to explore the full potential of urban life in the 21st century and a significant period in urban evolution. Fifty-five percent of the world population is expected to live in cities by the year 2010. The prospect of future urban life, a subject of global interest, concerns all nations, developed or less developed, and their people. Being the first World Exposition on the theme of city, Exposition 2010 will attract governments and people from across the world, focusing on the theme "Better City, Better Life." For its 184 days, participants will display urban civilisation to the full extent, exchange their experiences of urban development, disseminate advanced notions on cities and explore new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle and working conditions in the new century. They will learn how to create an eco-friendly society and maintain the sustainable development of human beings.

Expo 2010 Shanghai China will centre on innovation and interaction. Innovation is the soul, while cultural interaction is an important mission of the World Expositions. In the new era, Expo 2010 Shanghai China will contribute to human-centred development, scientific and technological innovation, cultural diversity and win-win cooperation for a better future, thus composing a melody with the key notes of highlighting innovation and interaction in the new century.

Expo 2010 Shanghai China will also be a grand international gathering. On the one hand, we shall endeavour to attract about 200 nations and international organisations to take part in the exhibition as well as 70 million visitors from home and abroad, ensuring the widest possible participation in the history of the World Expositions. On the other hand, we will put Expo 2010 Shanghai China in a global perspective and do our best to encourage the participation and gain the understanding and support of various countries and peoples, in order to turn Expo 2010 Shanghai China into a happy reunion of people from all over the world.

In addition, Expo 2010 Shanghai China will offer a wonderful opportunity for cross-culture dialogues. Before the conclusion of the Exposition, a "Shanghai Declaration" will be issued. This declaration, hopefully a milestone in the history of the World Expositions, will epitomise the insights to be offered by the participants and embody people's ideas for future cooperation and development and extensive common aspirations, thereby leaving a rich spiritual legacy of urban development to people throughout the world.

The Chinese Government will go to great lengths to make Expo 2010 Shanghai China a special event that carries on traditions and opens a new vista into the future. Our motto is: "Keeping in mind the next 60 years' development while preparing for the six months' Exposition." We count on the continuing attention, support and participation of all the peace-loving countries.

Theme

The theme of Expo 2010 is "Better City, Better Life," representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments. This theme represents a central concern of the international community for future policy making, urban strategies and sustainable development. In 1800, 2% of the global population lived in cities. In 1950, the figure raised to 29%, in 2000, almost half the world population moved into cities, and by 2010, as estimated by the United Nations, the urban population will account for 55% of the total human population.

The quest for a better life has run through the urban history of mankind. Through different sub-themes, Expo 2010 will create blueprints for future cities and harmonious urban life styles, providing an extraordinary educational and entertaining platform for visitors of all nations:

●Blending of diverse cultures in the city

●Economic prosperity in the city

●Innovations of science and technology in the city

●Remodelling of communities in the city

●Interactions between urban and rural areas

Expo Emblem

The emblem, depicting the image of three people-you, me, him/her holding hands together, symbolizes the big family of mankind. Inspired by the shape of the Chinese character" 世"(meaning the world), the design conveys the organizers' wish to host an Expo which is of global scale and which showcases the diversified urban cultures of the world.

Mascot

International Exhibitions Bureau

The BIE

The Bureau International des Expositions (International Exhibitions Bureau) was established by a diplomatic international Convention, signed in Paris,in 1928. Its function is to regulate the frequency and quality of exhibitions falling within its remit.

This may simply be defined as covering all international exhibitions of a non-commercial nature (other than fine art exhibitions) with a duration of more than three weeks, which are officially organised by a nation and to which invitations to other nations are issued through diplomatic channels. The BIE is therefore not concerned with trade fairs and indeed the degree of commercial activity carried out at BIE exhibitions is carefully regulated.

Why does the BIE exist?

The first International Exhibition is generally considered to have been that held in London in 1851.

The success of this event produced many highly successful exhibitions throughout the world. For example, the Paris Exhibition of 1889 is well remembered for the creation of the Eiffel Tower.

But as the number of these events increased, it became clear that some measures were needed to control the frequency and quality of exhibitions. The 1928 Convention on International Exhibitions established the BIE and set out simple rules, which restricted the number of exhibitions which could be held and defined their characteristics. The original 1928 Convention has been amended by various additional protocols, but the basic framework of that Convention is still valid today.

How does the BIE work ?

The Secretariat General of the BIE, which is located in Paris, is headed by the Secretary General. The French Foreign Office carries out formal diplomatic relationships for the BIE.

Membership to the BIE -- currently comprising 140 nations -- is open to any Government by accession to the 1928 Convention and the 1972 Protocol on International Exhibitions. An annual fee is charged on a sliding scale based on United Nations principles on such contributions. However, a substantial part of the BIE's income derives from the registration fees for staging exhibitions and from a percentage of the gate money raised for that exhibition.

General Assemblies of the BIE are held twice a year in Paris under the chairmanship of the elected President of the BIE. These meetings are attended by all member states and by observers. Delegates review applications for new projects and consider reports from those exhibitions in a more advanced state. They are also attentive to reports by the four Committees, which supervise appropriate aspects of the BIE's activities. The Executive Committee assesses new projects and exercises an overview on the different aspects of exhibitions, while the Rules Committee is concerned with the detailed documentation and technical provisions of exhibitions as well as the internal rules of the BIE.

The Administration and Budget Committee and the Information and Communication Committee complete this structure. Each of the four Committees has a Chairman, who at the same time is a Vice President of the BIE, and a Vice Chairman. These eight members form a controlling body which assesses the activities of the BIE as a whole in preparation for the summer and winter General Assemblies. Committee members are elected by the General Assembly.

The registration of exhibitions

Controlling not only the frequency and quality of exhibitions but, in particular, also the conditions of participation for international participants is a continuous process carried out by the B.I.E. from the inception of a project to its close. There are three main steps an exhibition must follow in order to achieve the essential registration. Following the first formal nomination of a new project, which must specify the date of opening and closing, the theme and the legal status of the organising body, a BIE preliminary enquiry missioncarries out an on-the-spot assessment of the project. Led by a Vice President of the BIE, the enquiry team is able to request detailed information of a technical and financial nature to assist it and documentary evidence is examined.

This thorough research is the basis for a report, which is submitted to the Executive Committee for consideration and subsequently to the General Assembly for approval. If the project is successful in achieving support from these bodies, the Assembly will decide by secret balloton the "allocation of the date", that is the election of the candidate country which will host the next exhibition.

The third and final process is the registration of the exhibition on the basis of the formal review and acceptance of the General Regulations and Draft Participation Contract by the Assembly. The completion of the registration procedure (which may take three years) is marked by the awarding of the BIE flag.

This is also the point at which the Government may commence despatching invitations through diplomatic channels to other nations to participate in the event. Without registration, an exhibition cannot seek the support of the BIE Member States, which are in fact prohibited from participating in any event, which could violate the BIE Convention. Registration indicates the solemn acceptance by the host Government of its responsibility to apply and maintain the BIE's rules.By this process, the future development of international exhibitions is protected and the interests of the member states maintained.

During an exhibition, the BIE maintains its control function through the College of Commissioners General who are the representatives of a participating Government at the exhibition and an elected Steering Committee, which maintains a close liaison not only with the exhibition organisers but with the BIE.

Different categories of exhibitions

From the earliest date, the BIE has accepted the need to differentiate between two categories of exhibitions: major events which last for six months and with a theme of a general nature and shorter, more economical events, where the theme is more precise and specialised.

The two categories of exhibitions and their distinctive characteristics are as follows (more information www.bie-paris.org) :

International Registered Exhibition (or World Exhibition)

Frequency : every five years

Duration : 6 months at most

Area : not restricted

Theme : general (cf. General classification for International exhibitions)

International Recognised Exhibition

Frequency : during the interval between two International Registered Exhibitions

Duration : 3 months at most

Area : 25 ha at most

Theme : specialized

This type of event could give all nations the possibility of hosting an international exhibition.

The BIE will also continue to recognise those Horticultural Exhibitions such as the Netherlands Floriade 2002 and IGA 2003 Rostock in Germany, recommended to it by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), and the Milan Triennale, an exhibition of long standing featuring the decorative arts.

Since 1928 the BIE's work has been dedicated to identifying and refining the role of those exhibitions within its concern as a means of promoting international goodwill and of exploring the limits of human experience and knowledge.