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10 November 2009
United States Unveils Plans for Pavilion at Shanghai Expo
Washington — Visitors to the U.S. pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, which runs from May 1 to October 31, 2010, will be treated to a range of displays, from the roles of innovation and diversity in the United States to an urban rooftop farm, showcasing environmental sustainability and 21st-century technology as part of the expo theme “Better City, Better Life.”
The State Department’s special representative for global partnerships, Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley, outlined plans for the U.S. exhibit to reporters in Washington on November 9. The world expo, the first ever hosted by China, is expected to be the largest in history, with an anticipated 70 million visitors.
So far, about 40 U.S. companies, including General Electric, Wal-Mart, Chevron and PepsiCo, have given financial support to the American pavilion, and Bagley said it will be “a great opportunity for us to show public diplomacy and also commercial diplomacy, and to show what our … core values are to the Chinese people.”
The exposition theme encompasses “the city of the future,” she said, and the United States will present “a vision of a sustainable, healthy, prosperous world in the 21st century” through both video and live presentations. Part of its attraction will stem from what she said is a shared Chinese and American interest in environmental sustainability and renewable energy.
Visitors to the American pavilion, which occupies a “prime site” next to the Chinese pavilion, will first encounter what the ambassador described as “the overture,” where President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and average American citizens will offer words of welcome and insights into their life in the United States.
Along with opportunities to hear ongoing musical entertainment, visitors will interact with and be offered guided tours by student volunteers from the University of Southern California who are fluent in Chinese and serving as ambassadors at the U.S. pavilion. The pavilion will showcase urban agriculture techniques on its roof.
Bagley described a three-part main exhibit. The first will feature American speakers on innovation, emphasizing “the importance of the freedom to dream and to fulfill your dreams.” In a separate auditorium, a three-dimensional presentation titled “The Garden” will present the importance of diversity and team spirit, she said.
“It’s about a young girl who sees a lot across the street and looks at it and decides that she’s going to plant a flower, and then the rain washes it away and all the people come by and decide that they’re going to help her build a garden,” Bagley said.
The third part, “Visions of America,” will focus on Chinese Americans and “how successful they have been in this country,” including themes of freedom, sustainability, health, nutrition, and the growth of technology and its impact upon their lifestyle, she said.
Bagley said Secretary Clinton will visit the site of the U.S. pavilion November 16 during her trip to China, and will meet with U.S. donors, supporters and partners of the project. The Obama administration is seeking additional support to help raise the remaining $15 million needed to fund the $60 million exhibit.
“It’s a great opportunity” for corporate sponsors, Bagley said. Unlike the Olympics, which runs only three weeks, Shanghai 2010 will last six months. Many U.S. companies have indicated their interest in participating and being represented at the U.S. pavilion.
“Anyone who … has a business in China is looking at this very carefully,” she said. There will be 70 million people at the expo, and “that’s just a huge … consumer base.”
More information can be found at the USA Pavilion 2010 Web site, as well as the Shanghai Expo’s official Web site.
