The Communication and Information Committee meeting was held on May 2, 2012 in the Bureau International des Exposition in Paris.

The meeting reviewed the progress report of the World Expo Museum and the BIE Training Center and Multimedia Exhibition Gallery, as well as the communication actions in 2012.

The World Expo Museum, which will open in 2015 in Shanghai China, has launched an international tender for the design of the museum. The jury will pick a winner among 11 bidding architecture firms in mid-may.

In 2012, the BIE travelling Expo, EXPO x EXPOS, has been to Astana, Kazakhstan for three months from January. A new version of travelling Expo has been made in collaborate with the organizers of World Expo Museum and be exhibited during the Yeosu Expo.

The written, audio and visual contents from the current exhibition have been modernized in the new one.

Also, the committee was informed that two candidates of Expo 2017, Astana of Kazakhstan and Liege of Belgium, would organize symposiums to discuss their themes in June and September.

17 days before the opening of Yeosu Expo, the organizers informed the committee that 105 countries and 10 international organizations would participate the event and the construction of facilities has been completed this week.

Three final operation rehearsals have been scheduled on April 28th, May 2nd and May 5th to simulate and predict possible problems that could happen after the opening of May 12th.

During the 93-day Expo period, Yeosu will also present 45 forums and symposiums on the theme "Living Oceans and Coasts", as well as more than 400 cultural performances to entertain visitors.

About 90,000 tickets have already been sold, said Bae Young Ham, the Third Vice Secretary General of the Organizing Committee, during the meeting. The event intends to attract more than 8 million visitors.

In Milan, the preparation for the World Expo 2015 is also progressing smoothly. More than 80 countries and international organizations officially confirmed participation of the event under the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life".

The organizers hope to reach 100 before the opening of the Second International Participation Meeting in Milan this October and 110 by the end of 2012.

The six-month Expo Milano 2015 is anticipating about 20 million visitors, in which 30% coming from outside Italy.

The delegation from Floriade 2012 presented the report after the opening of the event on April 6th in Venlo, Netherland.

The delegation from Horticultural Expo Antalya 2016 also reported its preparation progress to the committee.

The committee examined the reports of the Inquiry Missions of Expo 2017 candidates, which are Liege from Belgium and Astana from Kazakhstan. The reports will be submitted to the General Assembly which will take place in June.

The committee also agreed to propose to the General Assembly to register October 31 in the United Nations as "World Better Cities Day" according to the request of Expo Shanghai 2010 organizers.

During the meeting, delegates of the committee also elected Mr. Ogawa, delegate of Japan delegation, to be the vice president of committee.

The Rules Committee meeting of the Bureau International des Expositions was held in Paris April 25, 2012.

The Committee studied the situation of the special regulations of Expo Milano 2015 and Horticultural exhibitions.

The special regulations No. 3 to 10 of Expo Milano, which should be submitted to the BIE by May 1, will be discussed by the Committee in the next session in October.

The meeting also elected Belgium delegate Mr. Leo Delacroix as the vice president of the committee.

The delegation of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) has completed the one-week investigation and assessment, from March 26 to 30, 2012, of the candidature of Liege, Belgium, for the International Expo 2017.

The main objective of the mission is to determine the viability and feasibility of the Expo project and to ensure its conformity with the BIE rules and regulations.

A crucial part for all candidates bidding for an Expo, the enquiry mission is also to assess the political and social climate in the candidate country and city that would ensure necessary support for the Expo project.

The program of the mission consists of a series of meetings with the Belgium Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, the King of the country His Majesty Albert II, as well as federal, regional, provincial and local authorities, representatives of political parties, representatives of the civil society, academia, and economic actors.

Mr. Steen Christensen, Chairperson of the Executive Committee and mission leader, H. E. Amb. Carl Roberts, Delegate of Antigua and Barbuda, Ms. Nina Abouna, Delegate of Gabon, and Mr. Vicente G. Loscertales, Secretary General of the BIE, took part in the enquiry mission.

The delegation heard the presentations on the 14 chapters that make up the candidature dossier, including the theme, anticipated visitors, master plan, communication plans, city and regional touristic attractions, financial support and post-Expo plans, etc.

The result report of the mission will be submitted next month to the Executive Committee of the BIE for review, which then forwards the report with advice to the General Assembly. The General Assembly decides which proposals the BIE will be submitted for vote. The report forms the basis of evaluation by the BIE Member States.

The other candidate for the Expo 2017 is the city of Astana, Kazakhstan, who has already received an enquiry mission in March. The country to host Expo 2017 will be selected through a vote by the BIE Member States in November 2012 at the General Assembly.

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