Notes: The following is records of yesterday's online chat with Vicente Loscertales, secretary general of the Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE).

I want to take this opportunity to explain to millions of people the importance, the values and the messages of the World Expo 2010 as well as the role of our organisation. Very particularly, this great event will be one of the major events in the history of World Expos and probably a big one for the future because of the type of Expo that it is.

1. How do you like the revamped official Website of the World Expo?

I have to congratulate you for your efforts to renew the Website and to create a very attractive Website for communication with people all over the world. You know, the World Expo is an event which can be visited by a large number of people. But if we can use the IT in the way you are using it in the Website to give hundreds of millions of people access to the World Expo, we can reinforce the messages and value of the Expo.

2. What is the function of the BIE?

This question is very relevant. The BIE is an international non-governmental organisation which has 98 member states. The role of the BIE is to regulate the conditions, the frequency and the categories of World Expos, to transmit the messages, to keep the values and to make the Expos relevant events for better life and a better future for mankind. And we have to protect and preserve the locations and values of Expos and to keep the BIE's role as an element for peace and promotion of international cooperation and protection of all the cultures in the world. The current BIE was created in 1928 through an international Convention and it makes it possible for many countries to help one another to use Expos to achieve their goals at the international level.

3. Have you visited the World Expo site? What is your impression?

I have visited the Expo site many times and I will visit it many more times up to 2010 and even beyond. We are following all the transformations of the site, from the very beginning up to the current stage. If we are preparing a stage to receive 70 million people and to make them comfortable, to make them enjoy the pavilions, to be able to feed them, to take care of them in case they need anything, we need to take basic issues including the site planning and implementation in a very patient and thoughtful way.

You will receive 70 million to 80 million visitors, which means hundreds of thousands per day, it is a big challenge. People don't want long queues and they expect everything to be clean and attractive and they want to see things in an entertaining way and that is why the Expo site is important. Previous Expos also had large numbers of visitors, Osaka Expo in 1970 had 60 million, but here we are going to have 80 million, which means the site has to be planned in a different way from previous Expos.

In addition, the site should be well integrated with the city. It has to be part of the city after the end of the Expo and therefore, has to integrate in a natural and harmonious way. The site has to be beautiful, innovative and environmental-friendly. The reason why I like to visit the site very often is to see how it is progressing and how beautiful it is becoming.

4. How many times have you visited Shanghai? How do you feel about the city?

I can't recall the exact number of times I have been to Shanghai but I have been coming here regularly since 1994. In those twelve years, I have seen the city's transformation into one of the most exciting cities of the world. Shanghai has always been since its creation an international, open and dynamic city. When you visit Shanghai and you see the transformation you will think there can't be a better stage on which to show China to the world and world to China.

5. What is your assessment of the preparations for the Expo?

The preparations of the World Expo are proceeding in an efficient and smooth fashion. Previously, we had two main tasks. The first was to prepare all the concepts and all the documents that we need to put them into practice at the Expo. That means, the content, master plan, the master plan for the site, the cooperation plan and the marketing plan etc. We have practically finished this stage and it is time for implementation. Implementation means the construction and creation of the Expo and also the preparations for the exhibits and communication with all the citizens, in Shanghai, China and the world.

The physical side of the Expo, the architecture, the brochures and the exhibits, are tangible things. But there is also a psychological and mental side to the Expo. They are important part of the communication and things we have to do. I am very positive in my assessment. I know people have been working many hours per day, sometimes 15 hours per day. But from now on, we have to work 24 hours a day if we are to meet the challenges of having the most important Expo in history.

6. What do you think about the Expo theme,"Better City, Better Life"? What's your understanding of it?

The main asset of the Expo is its theme. "Better City, Better Life" is the key challenge for human beings in the years to come. We are lucky to have the intelligence to choose such a theme which for me means first the quality of life. Expos are for citizens. And you know the cities should be a place where people can develop themselves, interact with other human beings and realise the fulfillment of their lives and develop all the potentials of human beings. In this 21st century, it is important to have this sense at all parts of the world, of cities, of all cultures, because basically we are all affected by the same problems. The theme "Better City, Better Life" allows us to cooperate, to work together, to improve the life in all cities of the world and to create a better future and a vision to solve the problems of urban societies. I would like people who are following this conversation today to extend what we say about the theme we mean for all, for everybody and we don't mean for a small group of cities or a small group of countries. This is something which has to be useful for all human society.

7. Yesterday Shanghai hosted the fourth Shanghai World Expo Forum? What's your opinion of the forum?

Yesterday we had the fourth forum of Shanghai World Expo. The purpose was to get opinions and comments about the Expo theme in order to better develop this theme and display it at the Expo. I think the forum was of very high quality and the opinions we received were extremely useful in developing the Expo theme. There was a particularly initiative that they found extremely important which was what they called the setting up of "best practice" urban areas in the Expo. We have to show during the Expo how cities solve problems, not only in a theoretical way, but in a practical way. This Expo is about better life, and better life is about very practical things. We have to invite cities which have a record of excellent urban practice to come here and show what can be achieved in a sound and efficient way. I have to congratulate the organisers of the forum because it was a success.

8. Is there an ideal city? What does it look like, or what are its characteristics?

I don't want to jump to being philosophical. I have to say the wish for a Utopia, or an ideal city, has been in the minds of human kind for many centuries. The ideal is something we all need to have in order to improve. An ideal city is a model of a city which we would like our own city to become. That means a place where all people can live in peace, can fulfill themselves, can realise their potential, can educate their children, can take care of their parents, and live in an open, friendly, civilised society. A city in which you can earn your living, enjoy being with your friends, develop your knowledge and become a better human being and accept the generosity of people who come from outside. We may have this picture of a city where some people may love sports, they want a city full of swimming pools and stadiums. You know, an ideal city is strongly related to their own tastes and visions. We all should keep always the sense of an ideal city because that will encourage us to improve our own reality. We have to look for the idea not outside, but inside, within our own city and within ourselves.

9. What are your expectations for the Shanghai World Expo?

My expectations for the Shanghai World Expo are very high. Because firstly this event will take place in a city which is one of the most dynamic, open, and important cities in Asia and in the world. Secondly, because this Expo takes place in China, a country which has a rich culture that we need to show to the world. Thirdly, because the international community is very keen on strengthening ties with China. All countries of the world will come to China and try to develop friendly and fruitful cooperation with China. Fourthly, because the theme of the Expo, "Better City, Better Life", as I explained before, is a key element in improving the quality of life. Fifthly, because we live a global society in which the problems of other countries affect ourselves. Therefore, it is urgent for us to find common solutions. All these elements have been explained and if we end up holding only a mediocre exposition, we would fail to meet all these expectations. So we should aim to do our best.

10. Will you come to Shanghai with your family to visit the Expo in 2010?

Well, the answer to that is very simple: yes. If I don't come with my family in 2010, they will never forgive me.

11. What improvements can Shanghai make for the Expo? Your suggestions?

The city of Shanghai is working very hard for the Expo. Improvements in the transportation system, such as the metro lines and the inter-city trains, and also improvements in citizens who will host the Expo -- they are key elements to make a successful Expo. The residents have to play host to foreign visitors, to help them in the city during the Expo and prepare a clean, friendly and open city for all. My suggestion is that we have to feel that this Expo belongs to the whole Shanghai, the whole China and that all citizens feel involved in the Expo.

12. What is the secret of your career success?

It is a very personal question. I think there is no secret. But if I may say something not specifically about my career, it is about life and my belief that people should take everything with passion. Everything you do has to be done with interest, with love, with a real will to improve things. Without thinking too much of ourselves, and thinking about the well-being of the rest.

13. What is your opinion of the greening of our city? Is it sufficient? How can we better integrate Nature and the city?

My opinion of the greening of the city is that a lot of work has been done and is being done. But there is still a long way to go. The greening of the city is a process that goes on over many years. In the past, we did not have the same awareness of the importance of environmental issues, which means we destroyed Nature for many years and now we are trying to help Nature recover. Everybody knows and agrees that efforts to save the environment should be continued. These efforts like planting trees are not only done by the authorities but by all of us as citizens. We have to take care of Nature and protect Nature. If we all don't do that, the authorities can do many things but they will never be able to create a green and pleasant atmosphere. That requires the active cooperation of people.

14. What can Shanghai learn from the preparations of Expo 2008 Zaragoza?

These two expos are very different. The Zaragoza Expo is going to take place in a small space and the Shanghai Expo covers much larger space. But, you know, both of them have a very strong theme in common. Firstly, they share the same messages and values. And in the case of Zaragoza, its theme is water and sustainable development. Water is the main element for life. And this is very close to the theme "Better City, Better Life". For a better life, for a better city, we need better water and better use of water. Therefore, the two Expos have to create opportunities to exchange experiences because they are being prepared in the same time span. We need both of them to cooperate closely.

15. Where do you get new information about the World Expo?

We are very lucky and privileged. We get information mainly from organisers of the Expo. We are in permanent contact and we work together and we receive almost every day updates on the preparations for the Expo. The second way of getting information is because we are an international organisation with 98 member states, and many of them -- almost all of them -- are going to participate in the Shanghai Expo, we get all their comments and information. We also get information from the media. The media are very interested in the Shanghai World Expo. So, they have created a large number of articles and programs, and you know we follow up all this information. We also get information from companies interested in the Expo and some of them give us information and ask us for comment. Finally, we get information from citizens. People are very interested in the Website of the World Expo, sometimes, they address our organisation and they -- schools, universities and individuals -- ask us:"Do you have any brochures on Shanghai, or any material to let us know more about the city?" On the other hand, they give us their opinions of the promotions whether they're right or not.

16. How do you think Shanghai can make use of the Expo site after it ends?

This is a very important question. The site, as I said before, has to be harmoniously integrated within the strategic master plan of the city. And because the site has to be a good example of the quality of life after the Expo ends, it should remain a very important feature of the city. An area in which environmental issues have been well solved, a place where the cultural infrastructure is important and where citizens can enjoy, work and live in a pleasant surroundings.

17. You used to be Director of Participant's Division Expo 1992 Seville, Spain. Do you have any special experience that would be useful for us?

There is something I would like to share with citizens. When countries come to a foreign country to prepare their own participation in the Expo, they usually don't know the local language, culture and habits. Because they want to do well, they want to present their countries in a magnificent way and they become from time to time nervous as they may think they have not done enough preparations on their pavilions. What I want to tell you is the need for cooperation. It is very important to be patient, to explain to them, to help them and to make them feel welcome. Sometimes it is not very easy because we all have our priorities, we all have our own work to be done. But we believe Expo is a huge cooperative program. It is not only the responsibility of the organiser, but the joint responsibility of organiser and participants. We always think that we have to work hand in hand together and to make the process easier and the result better.

18. Which Expo has been the most successful?

All Expos happen at a certain time, in different cultures and in different historical contexts. It is impossible for me to answer this question. You know, we have just had a very successful Expo in Aichi, Japan. As the Expos have more than one hundred years history, they have transformed cities like Paris and London, where are full of Expo remains. To answer this question, I feel it is like trying to answer the question of who has been the most beautiful woman in the history of humankind.

19. Is there any image ambassador of World Expo? If there is, would you choose the hurdler Liu Xiang or basketball player Yao Ming? Why?

I know they are both well-known sports people. They are excellent, successful, disciplined, hard-working. They are the symbol for many young citizens. I think both of them could be ambassadors of the Expo. I met Yao Ming at the Aichi Expo. He came with the Shanghai delegation to promote the Shanghai Expo. I have not had the pleasure of meeting Liu Xiang. But I think both of them, one is a very successful basketball player, the other a fast runner, are qualified to be ambassadors. We also need artists, intellectuals and citizens who have done a great job in their own life and careers to be ambassadors.

20. Where do you want to live after your retirement?

I don't know. It depends very much in what condition you are. I would like to continue to see my friends, to continue to see the cities I love. Among those cities, Shanghai will be the one I want to come from time to time.

21. Do you think it is the city that makes life better, or the city plus suburbs and countryside?

The city is not something isolated. Nowadays cities don't have walls, they integrate with the countryside. In the sub-themes of the Shanghai World Expo, there is one about the interaction between urban and rural areas. It is the key.

Thank you very much for raising these interesting questions. I think this is a great opportunity to contact with citizens and I have answered all the questions in the best way I can. If there are other questions in the future, we can contact through the Website. Next time I come to Shanghai, you invite me again and I will come with pleasure.