World Expo Representative: How Expo 2010 has transformed Shanghai

“Expo 2010 was a grand opening of China to the world,” said Dimitri. “It brought 190 countries to be in Shanghai during the Expo. It means that people from all these countries were here present not just for six months, but for a year before to build their pavilions and for six months afterwards. That means for almost two years, Shanghai enjoyed a huge international community from all over the world, and used the Expo to show what China has to offer, not only inside China but also what they can offer to the world. I think this is the context that Expo 2010 has such a success: countries truly felt welcomed and a home in Shanghai and it showed by the success of the Expo.”

At the Expo Park, the massive China Pavilion, looking like an improbable assemblage of giant red timber beams or even chopsticks, presented to the world the charm of the oriental country. It showcased the process of urbanization in China during the first 30 years of reform and opening up, highlighting the scale and achievements of China’s urbanization. “I remember people queuing up from 6 o’clock in the morning waiting to get in and get tickets to see the China Pavilion,” said Dimitri while recalling the popularity of the pavilion. “It was very touching to see how much the Chinese people loved their own pavilion and how much they wanted to see it, and also to see from the foreign visitors the reactions of seeing the China Pavilion. They walked around it and appreciated Chinese culture and all that China has to offer.”

To Dimitri, Expo 2010 was different from any other world expos. First, it was the expo with the largest number of participating countries and visitors over its six months. It was also the expo with the largest number of visitors in one single day. So, in fact, Shanghai broke all the records when it hosted the Expo. Second, it was an expo in a developing country, and the Chinese were able to host and show what a welcoming country China is. It also showed what influence and what an impact China can have on the world and how China is willing to work together with all the countries in order to secure a safer future for humanity.