Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, November 28, secured the hosting rights for the 2030 World Expo, decisively surpassing competing bids from Italy and South Korea, despite facing objections from human rights activists.
The Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday won the right to host the 2030 World Expo, defeating rival bids from Italy and South Korea as well as overcoming objections from rights activists to take hold of another global mega-event.
With a pledge for an Expo “built by the world for the world”, Saudi’s bid smashed the opposition after months of intense lobbying in the run-up to the vote in Paris.
The World Expo — which traces its history back to the 1851 Great Exhibition in London and the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris that saw the construction of the Eiffel Tower — is a months-long showcase event attracting millions of visitors that aims to respond to the specific challenges of the current time.
Hosting the Expo is of immense importance for Saudi Arabia whose bid has been spearheaded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, as he seeks to secure the world’s top events to showcase the kingdom across the globe.
The date of 2030 is also hugely symbolic, as it coincides with the key milestone in the Vision 2030 program of MBS to diversify Saudi Arabia economically and also culturally.
The hosting of the Expo is regulated by the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), whose member states voted for the winner at its general assembly.
Needing only one round of voting and securing the necessary two-thirds majority of member states, Riyadh won 119 votes, South Korea’s Busan 29 and Italian capital Rome 17, the BIE said.
The kingdom is set to host the 2034 football World Cup after emerging as the only bidder for the event and is already welcoming a host of motor-racing, golf and combat sports events.
The Riyadh Expo is set to take place from October 2030 to March 2031 on the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow”.
The most recent World Expo took place in 2020 in Dubai and the next World Expo is due in 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
