São Paulo – This week, five cities will present their bids to host the World Expo 2020. At the bidding event, due next Wednesday (12th) in Paris, the city of São Paulo will be represented by the Brazilian vice president Michel Temer, the São Paulo state governor Geraldo Alckmin, and the São Paulo city mayor Fernando Haddad. The Brazilians have said that should the city win the bidding, they will invest in a new exhibition centre in the North side of São Paulo. Other bidders include Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, Izmir, in Turkey, Yekaterinburg, in Russia, and Ayutthaya, in Thailand.
The World Expo is held every five years and each edition lasts six months. They are international events held to showcase the latest developments and trends in fields such as science, art, culture, engineering and architecture. Since the first edition, in 1851, the show has featured inventions such as the telephone and television. One of the main tourist spots in Paris, the Eiffel Tower, was built for the World Expo’s 1889 edition.
Haddad will champion São Paulo’s bid, whose theme will be “The Power of Diversity, Harmony for Growth.” According to a press release issued this Monday (10th) by the São Paulo City Hall, the city’s bid is based on a “In the spirit of love, tolerance and generosity that has inspired Brazilian culture, Sao Paulo EXPO 2020 will promote the creation of new alliances, understandings and partnerships for more equitable globalization and the well-being and security of all.”
Haddad travelled to Paris last Saturday (8th) and said São Paulo is able to host the event because it is a worldly city with a culture of “welcoming” people and fostering exchange.
According to the state government schedule, a cocktail party will be held this Monday (10th) to promote Brazil’s bid, featuring performances by the female singer Daniela Mercury and the group Zimbo Trio. The São Paulo state governor had meetings scheduled with the French president François Hollande and prime-minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
São Paulo’s candidacy will be officially presented at 11:05 am on Wednesday, at the 153rd General Assembly of Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). The winning city will be announced in November. If São Paulo turns out the winner, then the Pirituba neighbourhood should get a new exhibition pavilion, a park, an environmental reservation, train and metro stations, and road accesses. In that case, the city is expected to receive over 30 million tourists between May 15th and November 15th, 2020.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
