Overview of the 149 BIE General Assembly

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Overview of the 149 BIE General Assembly

H.E.Mr Jean Pierre Lafon, President of the BIE, Mr Vicente González Loscertales, Secretary General of the BIE- To the desk, Mrs Suraiya Butt, President of the Administration and Budget Committee, BIE Delegate of Pakistan.

View of a part of the assembly.

The 149th General Assembly of the BIE has taken place Tuesday, June 14th in Paris where delegates and observers from the Member States attended the presentation:

- of the Final Report from Expo Shanghai 2010,

by Mr WANG Jinzhen, Head of the Chinese Delegation to the BIE, Vice Chairman of the CCPIT

and Mr CHEN Anjie, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination

- of the Progress Reports on the future Expos:

• Yeosu 2012,
by H.E.Mr Lee Joon-Hee, Commissaire d'Expo Yeosu 2012

and H.E.Mr BAE Young Han, Director General for External Cooperation, The Organizing Committee for EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea

• Floriade Venlo 2012,
by Mr Wim van der LEEUW, BIE Delegate of the Netherlands, Minister Counsellor.

and Mr Louis KLEINEKORTE, Project Manager International Participation Venlo 2012 Holland.

• Milano 2015, with the presentations of

Mr Roberto FORMIGONI, President of the Lombardy Region

Mrs Letizia MORATTI, Special Commissioner of the Italian Government for EXPO Milano 2015

Mr Giuliano PISAPIA, Mayor of Milano

and Mr Giuseppe SALA, CEO of EXPO 2015 S.p.A.

The countries that have already submitted a candidacy application for an International Expo in 2017 or for a World Expo in 2020 have also been able to present for the first time their candidacy at the General Assembly. During the next months, other candidates can still apply.
Two countries have presented their candidacy for the International Expo in 2017:

- Kazakhstan would like to organise an International Expo in the city of Astana, with the theme "Future Energy" from June 10th to September 10th, 2017 (candidature submitted to the BIE on June 10th, 2011)

H.E.M. Nurlan DANENOV, Ambassador of Kazakhstan in France, has introduced the candidacy of the city of Astana at the General Assembly.

" In this new Century of scientific and technological breakthrough, also marked by more and more frequent natural catastrophes, ecological issues and natural resources are part of the global priorities of the international community. [...]
Kazakhstan, located in the core of Eurasia and in the center of the Silk Road, wants to preserve its natural wealth for future generations. At the same time, beyond national interests, it also plays one of the main roles in energetic and environmental security, in stability and prosperity on a global scale. [...]
An interesting point is that the Kazak candidacy represents a new region for the Expos."

Delegation of Kazakhstan : from left to right, Mrs Assel Kozhakova - General operator of the project "EXPO-2017". PR Manager ; Mr Sailaukhan Raiymbekov - Head of department for administration and regional development of Prime Minister's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan ; Mr Aydar Kazybayev - Chairman of the Trade Committee. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan ; Mr. Nurlan Danenov - Ambassador of Kazakhstan in France ; Mr Valeriy Sin - General operator of the project "EXPO-2017" ; Ms Dana Masalimova – Third Secretary of International Information Committee. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan ; Mr Olzhas Toguzbayev – Deputy Director of Consular service. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

- Belgium would like to host an International Expo in the city of Liege on the theme "Connecting the world, linking people", from June 21st to September 20th, 2017 (candidature submitted to the BIE on June 10th, 2011)

Prime Minister Yves LETERME has presented the city of Liege to the general assembly.

" [...] All the strengths of my country are with Liège in this beautiful challenge [...]
How can the new tools and technical means that connect the planet be used to further solidarity and cooperation between Mankind? How can they serve the sustainable development of humanity?
This Expo should be seen as an ideal opportunity to foster dialogue with the entire international community about the development, access and use of new communication and information technologies."

Delegation of Belgium: from left to right, first file, Mr Didier Reydners, Vice-Prime Minister ; Mr Yves Leterme, Prime Minister ; Mr Willy Demeyer, Mayor of Liege ; second file, Mr Robert Tollet, President of the Administration Board of the SCRL « Liège Expo 2017 » ; Mr Michel Firket ; third file, Mr Jean-Christophe Peterkenne, Mr Roger Dehaybe, Mrs Bénédicte Heindrichs.

If a BIE Member State wishes to organise an International Expo in 2017, it can apply for candidacy at the BIE within 6 months, i.e. until December 10th 2011.

Concerning the World Expo of 2020, two countries have presented their candidature to the General Assembly :

- The mayor of Izmir, Mr Aziz KOCAOGLU, has introduced the candidature of Turkey to host a World Expo on the "New Routes to a Better World / Health for All" in the city of Izmir from April 30th to October 31st, 2020.

" [...] Izmir's wish is to expand the theme of health ... by presenting the innovations made in this field. [...] Our theme, which includes the healthy-living concept, is based on a very strong content to catch attention and global participation. As you know, since the beginning of human's history, one of the most essential ambitions of mankind is to raise the health level.
[...] For the first time at the East of the Mediterranean, this Expo organisation is very important for us because it will strengthen peace and raise life expectancy of the people living in this area."

Delegation of Turkey : from left to right, Mr Aziz Kocaoglu, Mayor of the city of Izmir, and Mr Cahit KIRAC, Governor of the city of Izmir.

- Mr Akapol SORASUCHART, President of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau presented the candidature of Thailand to organise a World Expo in the city of Ayutthaya on the theme "Balanced Life, Sustainable Living" from January 15th to June 15th, 2020.

« Ayutthaya, the former capital city, a diplomatic crossroad that opened the door to Asian civilization, a port city, a centre of trade, the Venice of the East, linking the Silk Road to the world. [...] Ayutthaya is really a city of perfect balance – a perfect illustration of our proposed theme – Redefine Globalisation: Balanced Life, Sustainable Living."

Delegation of Thailand : from left to right, members of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Mrs Praewta Sorasuchart, Corporate Communictions manager, Mr Akapol Sorasuchart, President of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Mr Kamrob Palawatwichai, First Secretary of the Thai Embassy in France.

These two countries have submitted their candidacies to the BIE on May 2nd and May 16th 2011 respectively. Each Member State wishing to organise a World Expo in 2020 can submit a candidacy application until November 2nd 2011.

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