Fifty-five years ago today, on 21 October 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair, also known as the Century 21 Exposition or Expo 1962, closed its six-month run. It had been an unqualified success with some 10 million visitors. It made a small profit, raised awareness of Seattle’s emergence as a modern tech city and provided the city with a recognisable international symbol in the Space Needle.

Striking the set on the first Space Age Expo was not the end of the story. The fair came to be because in the mid-1950s city voters had approved funding for a “civic center,” and fair boosters used that funding to leverage additional public and private money for an Expo that would result in a permanent cultural hub.

As Expo 2017 Astana draws to a close, the international participants are eager to learn who will win the Expo 2017 Official Participant Awards. At each Expo, an international jury assesses different aspects of the pavilions, recognising those that stand out.

At the last Specialised Expo, which took place in Yeosu (Republic of Korea) in 2012, a total of 24 gold, silver and bronze awards were handed out, split into four different categories according to the size of the country’s participation. Within each category, each pavilion could receive awards based on their development of the “Oceans and Living Coast” theme, or based on their creative display.

I just returned from a visit to Expo 2017 in Kazakhstan and thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Though it’s a small fair in a remote country (at least for those of us in the USA), I thought it was well done and offered more than expected.

Here a few things I enjoyed about it, and one thing I didn't.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the French national day at Expo 1967 Montreal, a World Expo with the theme “Terre des Hommes” (Man and His World) which focused on mankind’s progress and innovations.

The theme of the French pavilion was “Tradition and Invention”. Among the exhibitions that were showcased were a model of the bathysphere “Archimede”, a colour television manufactured in France, and objects from Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s marine expeditions.

The World Opera Competition 2017 -“Operalia”, begins today in Astana as part of the wide-ranging cultural programme within the framework of Specialised Expo 2017. The prestigious annual event, which takes place in famous cities around the globe, will take place for the very first time in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, from 24-29 July, in the Astana Opera.

Founded in 1993 by renowned opera conductor and director, Plácido Domingo, “Operalia” is considered the opera equivalent of the Academy Awards, and is open to young artists aged 18-32 years old, who get an opportunity to benefit from Domingo’s personal experience and expertise. At Expo 2017 Astana, the 25th edition of the competition will feature 40 contestants from 17 countries, and will give four singers from Kazakhstan - soprano Maria Mudryak, tenor Damir Saduakassov and baritones Stanislav Li and Rasul Zharmambetov, the opportunity to represent their country at home.