175th General Assembly of the BIE

The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) held its 175th General Assembly in Paris on 26 November. Delegates representing the 184 Member States of the BIE attended the meeting, which included reports on upcoming Expos and the formal Recognition of Specialised Expo 2027 Belgrade.

The first part of the session featured reports from the meetings of the four committees of the BIE; the Administration and Budget Committee, the Executive Committee, the Rules Committee, and the Information and Communication Committee.

World Expos

Less than five months before the opening of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, the organisers of the upcoming World Expo updated Member States on the latest progress and developments. Yoshitaka Ito, Minister for Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, addressed Member States via video message, announcing that the final International Participants Meeting will take place on 15-16 January in Himeji. This meeting will serve as a unique opportunity to collectively review the final details concerning content, organisational, and logistical aspects. Hirofumi Yoshimura, the Governor of Osaka Prefecture, stated that the host city has already "embraced the colours of the Expo" and expressed his hopes that Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai will serve as a "compass for the society of the future." Osaka City Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama then highlighted that the legacy of the Expo, crafted with a "future vision," will be both tangible and intangible. Meanwhile, Hiroyuki Ishige, Secretary General of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, provided a detailed update on progress on various areas including construction, logistics, accreditation, ticketing, content, communication activities, and other related initiatives.

Special initiatives relating to Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai were also presented to the General Assembly. These included the Women's Pavilion, a collaborative project between the Government of Japan and Cartier conceived by architectural lead Yuko Nagayama and global artistic lead Es Devlin. June Miyachi, CEO and President of Cartier Japan, provided an overview of the pavilion's content and programming, emphasising its three interconnected themes: "Mother Earth," "Women's Empowerment and Intergenerational Equality," and "Self-Reflection and Call to Action." Additionally, the special edition of the Compasso d'Oro International Award - open to design projects responding to the theme of the Expo - was presented by Andrea Cancellato, Project Manager at the Associazione per il Disegno Industriale (ADI).

With regard to Expo 2030 Riyadh, Abdulaziz Alghannam, Senior Director General of Expo 2030 Riyadh, highlighted that the Organisers are drawing on best practices from previous Expos and indicated that the Registration Dossier is on track to be submitted by early 2025 for subsequent review by BIE Member States. Stressing the importance of collaboration, he indicated that the theme, subthemes, logo, and master plan have been revised and refined. Ghida Al Shibl from the Expo team and Mazen Alfuraih, Senior Director of Expo 2030 Riyadh, provided additional insights on ongoing preparations. The General Assembly was given a preview of the future logo of Expo 2030 Riyadh, ahead of its official launch, as well as an overview of the Expo's Master Plan, which has been conceived to reflect the vision and enduring legacy of the Expo 2030 Riyadh.

Specialised Expos

The 175th General Assembly of the BIE granted formal Recognition to Specialised Expo 2027 Belgrade, which was marked by a ceremonial presentation of the BIE flag to Jelena Begović, Serbia's Minister of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation, and Dušan Borovčanin, CEO of Expo 2027 Belgrade. Minister Begovic underlined that the official recognition of Expo 2027 Belgrade represents both a privilege and a significant responsibility, one the Serbian government is fully committed to honouring. An update of the Expo's progress was provided by Mr. Borovčanin, who announced that invitations to international participants are ready to be sent, adding that the first International Planning Meeting will be held in June 2025. He further noted that communications efforts are ramping up, and previewed a new promotional video.

Horticultural Expos

Preparations for Horticultural Expo 2027 Yokohama were outlined by Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Commissioner General of the event. Also referred to as 'GREEN×EXPO 2027', the next Horticultural Expo aims to address global environmental challenges from a green perspective, with its theme extending beyond traditional horticulture and flowers to cover topics aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Jun Saito, Executive Advisor to the Expo, presented a video showcasing the Expo's Master Plan, and indicated that engagement efforts are already underway, with over 200 organisations having been selected to contribute their ideas and solutions to the Expo. Member States were also briefed on communications initiatives - including an introduction of the mascot "Tunku Tunku"-as well as the expanding organisational framework and a detailed timeline of activities leading up to 2027.

International Exhibition of Triennale Milano

Member States approved the dates of the 24th edition of the Triennale Milano International Exhibition, which will take place under the theme "Inequalities" between 13 May and 9 November 2025. Addressing the General Assembly via video message, Triennale Milano President Stefano Boeri highlighted Triennale Milano's collaboration with leading academic institutions in the development of the theme, to provide a robust scientific foundation to the discussions, content and programming. Architect Nina Bassoli and Exhibition Coordinator Laura Maeran elaborated on the vision and plans for next year's Triennale Milano, noting that a series of exhibitions will delve into the causes, manifestations, and potential solutions to inequalities through the lenses of design, art, and architecture.

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