In Osaka, first nine countries sign Expo 2025 participation contracts

Nine countries have today signed participation contracts with Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, defining the main aspects of their presence at the upcoming World Expo.

Representatives of Azerbaijan, Brazil, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Qatar and Saudi Arabia signed their participation contracts on the sidelines of the International Planning Meeting (IPM) taking place in Osaka.

The signature of these agreements is possible once details about each country’s pavilion is defined, including the theme as well as the size and location of the pavilion. The nine countries having signed today – all of which are constructing self-built pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai - are the very first to reach this stage among the 142 countries having thus far confirmed their presence.

The construction of pavilions on the Expo site on Yumeshima Island is set to begin as early as April 2023, with infrastructure works already well under way.

The IPM, taking place on 25-26 October, is the first of several to take place before the opening of the Expo on 13 April 2025, as host country and participants cooperate around the development of the Expo’s pavilions, content and experience.

BIE Secretary General Dimitri S. Kerkentzes stated: “We are now entering an important new stage in preparations. Our hosts are working hard to lay the foundation for the journey ahead and, with 900 days until the opening of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, we must move forward in unison to deliver a World Expo for future generations.”

World Expos, officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, are global gatherings of nations addressing universal challenges of our time. These unparalleled global events offer a journey inside a chosen theme through engaging and immersive activities. The most recent World Expo, which closed on 31 March 2022, took place in Dubai, UAE under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, and received more than 24 million visits.