Saudi Arabia, which recently won the right to host the 2034 World Cup unopposed now faces off against two competitors to host the right to host the World Expo 2030.
Saudi Arabia faces off against Rome and Busan for the honor of hosting the event. However, both South Korea and Italy have hosted the event previously. Furthermore, there has never been a World Expo held in the capital city of an Arab country.
Earlier this month a grand symposium took place in Meudon, France, marking the culmination of an extensive campaign from Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The host country of World Expo 2030 will be elected at the 173rd General Assembly Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) which is set to take place 28 November 2023.
The symposium showcased Riyadh's vision for an exceptional Expo, promising a transformative experience that blends innovation, sustainability, and cultural richness.
Saudi plans call for 40 million visitors to visit the site. With a projected cost of $8 billion, the Expo will be located near the new King Salman International Airport and easily accessible by mass transit. The entire area of the expo will span an impressive 6 million square meters.
The symposium drew a distinguished audience, including princes, ministers, and a high-level Saudi delegation, alongside diplomats and representatives from member states of the BIE.
The gathering underscored the global significance of Riyadh's Expo bid and the Kingdom's commitment to upholding the highest standards. At the heart of Saudi Arabia's Expo proposal lies a commitment to tackling climate change in particular. The proposed Riyadh Expo grounds embrace the region's heritage with a design inspired by traditional gardens. A verdant maze of greenery is intricately layered to create natural cooling, a testament to the ingenuity of Middle Eastern communities in adapting to their arid surroundings.
Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary-General of the BIE, lauded Riyadh's vision for an Expo that actively engages the world in shaping a better future. He highlighted the city's strategic location and its potential to serve as a hub for international dialogue and collaboration.
"As 2030 approaches and efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals grow in urgency, broad global consensus will be required in moving the world's agenda forward, and in defining the ambition and the scope of the post-2030 era. Riyadh, a city at a crossroads of local, regional, and global changes, is positioning itself to welcome the world by proposing an event that would look resolutely towards the future, with foresight at the front and center of discussions.
Princess Haifa Al Saud, Deputy Minister of Tourism, emphasized the alignment between Expo 2030 and Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 during her prepared marks.
"In Saudi Arabia, we take our national goals seriously, and we translate them as our international commitments. As we believe in prosperity for all nations, everything the Kingdom is developing aims to not only have a national impact, but a global one as well," she said.
The symposium concluded with a captivating aquatic sound and light show, a mesmerizing blend of art, technology, and cultural heritage that gave the attendees a taste of what is to follow if Saudi Arabia wins the bid to host the next expo.
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