EXPO Express

In Brief

Visitors pose with Real Madrid as the Madrid Pavilion’s promotion week kicks off

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A deal is signed for the Mexico Pavilion to be moved post-Expo from Shanghai to Wuxi

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About 100 state leaders will attend the Expo’s opening ceremony, a light and sound show on the Huangpu River

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Shanghai begins an eight-month-long series of activities commemorating the city’s relationship with Jewish migrants during WWII

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Participants

Madrid Week Begins, Featuring Life-Sized Real Madrid

3/9/10 – As part of Madrid Pavilion Promotion Week, which opened yesterday, organizers set up a life-sized group photo of Real Madrid for visitors to have a simulated group photo taken with the football stars. Visitors can upload the photos to www.madrid2010.org for the photos to be attached to the pavilion’s facade. “We want to whet the appetites of future visitors to the Madrid Pavilion before the Expo gets under way in May,” said Ignacio Nino, general coordinator of the Madrid Pavilion. He added that some popular players of the club might appear in the pavilion during the exhibition, and that an exhibition on then will be held in August in the Bamboo House. Madrid’s Bamboo House and Air Tree – replicas of two existing green constructions, which will be located in the UBPA – will remain in Shanghai after the Expo. The promotion week exhibition runs through Sunday, at the Expo Shanghai Exhibition Center on 300 Huaihai Road M.

[Yang Jian / en.expo2010.cn]

Counseling Program to Aid State Grid Pavilion Workers

3/6/10 – The State Grid Pavilion became the first Expo pavilion to offer workers counseling services, as it started its Employee Assistance Programs last Friday. A team of psychology experts will station in the pavilion to offer daily psychological care and counseling to employees as well as help to ease visitors’ possible anxiety during waiting, the pavilion said. The program included a 24-hour counseling hotline, cozy decorated counseling rooms and personized multimedia mobile messaging services offering tips. The Expo is expected to have more than 70 million visitors, which will be a big challenge for pavilions’ employees. The program will run until the last day of Expo 2010, October 31.

[Shen Li / en.expo2010.cn]

Wuxi to Receive Mexico Pavilion Post-Expo

3/4/10 – After the Expo, the Mexico Pavilion will be moved from Shanghai to Wuxi, said the Wuxi Municipal Bureau of Commerce as the two sides signed a relocation deal last Wednesday. Jorge Guajardo, Mexico’s Ambassador to China, and Wang Guozhong, Wuxi’s Deputy Mayor, attended the signing ceremony. The Mexico Pavilion is not a single building but a 4,000 square meter area covered in grass with hundreds of kites made of eco-friendly plastic. Although kites originated in China, they are popular in Mexico; they represent the idea of flying and are the strength that unites Mexican and Chinese cultures, said Eduardo Seldner, Commissioner General of the Mexico Pavilion. As part of the agreement, Wuxi Day will be held at the Mexico Pavilion during the Expo to introduce the city to visitors.

[english.cri.cn]

EU Debuts Pavilion

3/4/10 – Serge Abou, the EU’s ambassador to China and Commissioner-General of the EU Pavilion, unveiled the EU Pavilion at the Brussels-based headquarters of the European Commission last Tuesday. He said that the EU Pavilion centers on the theme of “Intelligent Europe,” and comprises four parts, “Building Europe,” “Open Europe,” “Green Europe” and “Living Europe.” Each respectively focus on the brief history of the EU, the goal of European integration, and the economic and social achievements of Europe, such as the euro and Schengen Zone, environmental protection, the green science and technology revolution, natural landscapes, and the lives of local people. The mascots of the EU Pavilion are two cartoon characters wearing the EU flag, “Ou Ou” and “Meng Meng” (meaning the “European Union”). This is the first time for the EU to participate in a world expo held outside Europe. In January, Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, told visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that the EU will make an exception to attend. Due to time constraints, the EU eventually decided to jointly set up a pavilion with Belgium, which will assume the EU’s rotating presidency starting in the second half of this year. The EU section in the Pavilion will cover a 1,000 square meter area.

[People's Daily]

Macao to Share Experience in Historic Building Preservation

3/2/10 – Macao is keen to share its experience of restoration and re-use of historic buildings through its Urban Best Practices Area showcase, said the head of Macao’s preparation office for the Expo recently. Macao will devote a large part of its exhibition areas to displaying its successful experience in rejuvenating local buildings of historic importance, while demonstrating efforts to promote the cultural industry, said Ieong Pou Yee, director of Macao’s Preparation Office for the Expo, at a recent Expo-related launch ceremony. Aside from building the “Jade Rabbit” Macao Pavilion, Macao will also present the Tak Seng On Pawnshop as Macao’s Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA) showcase.

[Xinhua News Agency]

WTCA Maps Out Exhibition Plan

3/4/10 – The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) will explore how trade exchanges contribute to world peace and stability as well as the organization’s history and development in its 2,000 square meter pavilion. Upon entering a tunnel at the entrance, visitors will embark on a journey to explore world trade. The design was inspired by Chinese philosophy, such as “round earth” and “ba gua,” the eight diagrams used in Taoist cosmology representing the fundamental principles of reality. The pavilion’s space can also be turned into a stage or a large exhibition area. The WTCA has planned a series of forums and speeches for the Expo period on environmental protection, science and technology, and fashion.

[Hu Min / en.expo2010.cn]

General Info

Expo to Have 37 Haibao Robots

3/7/10 – Thirty-seven multi-functional robots, customized to serve Shanghai Expo visitors, made their debut on Sunday. Besides dancing and singing, the 1.55-meter tall Haibao-like robots can “communicate” with visitors in six languages and take photos for them, said key designer of the robots Chu Jian, vice president of Zhejiang University. The robots have touch screens on their chests to answer inquiries on road, public service and Expo information, Chu added. The Haibao robots will be placed in Shanghai’s two international airports and at the entrances of some major Expo venues, he said. This will be the first extensive application of robots at a public event in China, according to a statement from the Expo Bureau.

[Xinhua News Agency]

100 State Leaders to Attend Expo Opening

3/6/10 – About 100 state leaders will attend the opening ceremony of the Expo. Wan Jifei, vice-chairman of the Expo organizing committee, said that the opening ceremony will use the Huangpu, Shanghai’s main river, as the setting for a fireworks and special light and sound effects show. Wan expressed his concern about public opinion on the China Pavilion: “I wish it a big success and hope more people can appreciate our efforts in China Pavilion.”

[Ding Qingfen / China Daily]

Care to be Provided for All Expo Volunteers

3/5/10 – Psychological treatment and counseling will be provided for volunteers serving the Expo. The Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination last Friday signed a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Zengai Foundation – a charity foundation in Shanghai, which will donate 500,000 yuan (US$73,313) for the service and relevant facilities. Given the experiences of previous World Expos, psychological counseling has been seen as a way to help volunteers overcome long hours, extreme temperatures and huge crowds.

[Hu Min / en.expo2010.cn]

Xtep to become Principal Partner for Volunteers

3/4/10 – Leading Chinese fashion sportswear enterprise Xtep announced it has become the principal partner for the Shanghai Expo volunteers. Pursuant to the agreement signed by Xtep and the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination last Tuesday, Xtep was honored as the “Shanghai World Expo Designated Sportswear Provider,” and it will sponsor the outfits for all volunteers within the Expo. The uniforms were also unveiled at the signing ceremony. The stylish design was well regarded by attending media and staff of the Expo. Blended with white and green, and made of natural and environmentally-friendly fabrics that are woven together by cutting-edge knitting technology, the volunteers’ outfits are said to promote a green concept, while demonstrating the themes of harmony, purity and creativity.

[PR Newswire Asia]

SH Commemorates WWII Relationship with Jews

3/2/10 – Shanghai has kicked off an eight-month-long series of activities to commemorate the city’s relationship with Jewish migrants during World War II. Named “Jewish Refugees and Shanghai”, the series will embrace exhibitions, symposiums, reading seminars, documentaries and discussions through the end of October. According to the Consulate General of Germany in Shanghai – a co-organizer with the Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall of Shanghai – the activities aim to express sincere gratitude towards the Chinese citizens who helped Jewish refugees during the war years, and the city of Shanghai, and to let more visitors who come to the Expo better understand the history. In addition, Sherry Zilbergeld, vice consul general of Israel in Shanghai, said the Israel Pavilion will demarcate a special zone for the commemoration.

[Li Xianzhi / Xinhua News Agency]

Cultural Center Hits Final Sprint

3/2/10 – Construction of the Culture Center entered its final sprint last Tuesday, the 60-day countdown to the opening ceremony. The culture center will be finished in late March and put into use for the rehearsal of the opening ceremony.

[Xinhua News Agency]

Policy Report

Plans in Place for Expo River Safety

3/6/10 – Help will arrive within five minutes if anyone falls into the Huangpu River during the the Expo, Shanghai maritime authorities said last Friday when unveiling safety plans for the event. In addition, cleanup ships will arrive within 20 minutes if any vessel releases fuel into the river. Expo ferry services will not be suspended because of typhoons or fog, even during the city’s typhoon season, promised the Expo Maritime Emergency Headquarters Office of the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration. There will be restrictions on the entry of other vessels to areas near the Expo site in bad weather, to ensure the safe operation of Expo vessels. The administration will dispatch 50 vessels to patrol the river around the clock.

[Yang Jian / Shanghai Daily]