Expo 2010 Shanghai China

Since 1851, when the Great Exhibition of Industries of All Nations was held in London, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, and looking to the future.

With a long civilisation, China has always favored international exchange and supported world peace. Since this will be the first World Exposition in a developing country, Shanghai has promised even in the bidding session to attempt to bring as many developing countries to the Expo as possible. In the meantime it would make all efforts to create a platform between developed and developing countries, through which countries on different levels of urbanization can learn from each other’s experiences for the sake of the creation of better cities and better life.

The theme of the World Expo

The theme of Expo 2010 Shanhghai is "Better City, Better Life". The theme originates in thousands of years of human civilization, and, in the same time, it is also the continuation of the 150-year tradition of World Expositions, since the themes always reflected common concerns or common interests of humanity.
As human society’s urbanization is becoming faster, the improvement of urban life as the key of modern human life and the harmonization of cities and the surrounding countryside is getting more and more important on a global level as well.

Shanghai, the metropolis of the Pacific region is honored by the opportunity of hosting World Expo 2010 – the first Exposition in history dealing with cities. Expo 2010 will be a milestone in the history of cities and in their future development and planning, too.
The Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements, which was announced at the UN conference confirms: “Our cities must be places where human beings lead fulfilling lives in dignity, good health, safety, happiness and hope.” Many people believe, that every problem related to cities originates from the conflict between human and nature, from the difference between spiritual and physical life. To avoid these discordances the Expo 2010 Shanghai China deals with the motto “City of harmony” as an answer to “Better City, better life”.

For centuries the mankind kept looking for the harmonious city model. Many theories, ideas and models – from the ‘Utopia’ by Morus, the ‘Ideal city’ of Ledoux to the concept of ‘Garden Cities of To-morrow’ by Howard – tried to create harmony and balance in space and rules, just like in terms of spiritual and physical inputs. The only solution to questions of environment protection and development seems to be the concept of sustainable development.

The “City of Harmony” builds upon the consonance between people and environment and the harmony between spiritual and material world. The results manifest themselves in the harmonious life of different cultures together, the balanced development of cities’ economy, in peaceful life in the times of science and technology, and the equilibrium between city and countryside. The “City of Harmony” brings new thoughts and ideas into city planning and governance.