Vicente Loscertales, secretary-general of the Paris-based Bureau
International des Exposition (BIE), said on Friday "the Shanghai
Expo is being well prepared" during his second visit to the city
this year.
He encourged the city to make its 2010 World Expo "an international
event" by involving more participants and young locals.
On Thursday Loscertales met with Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng. He praised the city's ongoing
global communications and promotion of the expo, calling it "a
powerful and realistic plan".
A "Shanghai week" event was launched in Tokyo this week, its
first step to promoting the event overseas.
He said the Shanghai Expo organizer had introduced new and
creative elements in its preparations for the event, such as its
online expo. Loscertales also approved the completed expo theme
presentation plan, which is expected to be developed further in the
next few months.
The expo organizer expected more countries and international
organizations to confirm their participation in the event this
year.
Its second participants' conference is planned for November.
Loscertales said he wanted to cooperate with the organizers to
promote the event and create special regulations to assist
participants.
He said the BIE and the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo
Coordination would conduct a global promotional tour of 12 to 14
cities over three years. And the expo theme development guide would
also be provided to participants by the end of this year, with
suggestions for working with its "Better city, better life"
theme.
"Shanghai should make the World Expo a big international
project, connecting the city itself, China and the international
community," he said.
Loscertales particularly emphasized youth participation. A few
days ago he wrote a letter to the principal of the Shanghai Jincai
High School, which he visited five years ago. He invited students
to get actively involved in the Shanghai Expo.
In the letter, he said the active involvement of young people in
expos was essential, because: "They have a role alongside that of
the government and market, and tremendous potential to influence
the future."
Loscertales said the BIE planned to select young students from
Shanghai and train them as volunteers in Zaragoza, Spain, where the
2008 World Expo will be held.
"So after they come back, they will gain more experience in
volunteering work and make a contribution to the Shanghai Expo," he
said.
(China Daily March 24, 2007)