A new expected Saudi international achievement
Written by- Khalidh Rizwan
In a new achievement to be added to a series of great achievements that took place in all fields during the prosperous era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his Crown Prince, HRH Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Kingdom recorded a new victory in the arena of hosting international and regional exhibitions, conferences, festivals and events, through submitting an official bid to the organizing body “Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)”, to host Expo 2030 in the capital city of Riyadh, from October 1, 2030 till March 31, 2031.
Great Potential
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is competing with four countries for the World Expo 2030, including Russia, South Korea, Italy, and Ukraine. The host country will be elected at the 173rd general assembly of the BIE in November 2023, using a secret ballot based on the principle of “one country, one vote.” The Kingdom has received significant international support, with over 85 countries supporting its bid. Many International organizations have announced their support for Saudi Arabia’s bid.
The Kingdom’s plans to host the “Expo 2030” are ambitious. Riyadh city is building one of the world’s largest public transport networks, creating a green space in the city which is 4 times larger than the “Central Park” of New York City, planting 15 million trees, and transforming Riyadh into an open art gallery without walls. Hosting the exhibition aligns with the Saudi vision of becoming a global investment powerhouse, diversifying its economy away from oil and embracing sustainable high-tech industries. The Kingdom is also launching large projects like NEOM and the Red Sea project to achieve this goal.
Era of change
Saudi Arabia submitted its bid adopting a theme, namely “The Era of Change: Together (in our planet) for a Foresighted Tomorrow”.
The International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) is set to host a World Expo in Riyadh, marking a significant milestone for the Kingdom. Crown Prince HRH Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz expressed confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to hold a historic version of the Expo, focusing on innovation and providing a unique global experience. He emphasized that the Expo would enhance the BIE’s role as a platform for understanding cultures and human exchange, reflecting the changing nature of the world.
Crown Prince HRH Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz expressed confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to hold a historic International Expo, focusing on innovation and providing a unique global experience. He expressed confidence in the Kingdom’s commitment to organizing the event. He also added Expo will coincide with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 celebration, marking the culmination of efforts to achieve the vision’s goals. The Expo will provide a unique opportunity to share lessons and results from the Kingdom’s transformation, focusing on reducing oil dependence, advancing economic diversification, and developing public service sectors like health, education, infrastructure, entertainment, and tourism.
Forecasting the future
The Crown Prince emphasized the Kingdom’s vision for the future, focusing on creating a sustainable future for future generations. The Kingdom has launched a promotional campaign to host the World Expo on March 28, 2022, utilizing its diplomacy machine to mobilize international support. The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, responsible for developing Riyadh, is leading the bidding, and hosting efforts for Expo 2030. The city has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, with a population of nearly 8 million people and a GDP of up to $200 billion. The city is developing numerous projects to transform Riyadh into one of the 10 largest urban economies in the world and an ideal candidate for hosting the World Expo. By 2030, Riyadh aims to embody the World Expo’s aims of bringing together the best minds, ideas, and solutions to continue the progress of humanity.
Exceptional version
The Kingdom is working to organize an exceptional version of the World Expo with the International Bureau of Exhibitions. The mission of the IBE paid a five-day visit to Riyadh to discuss the Kingdom’s dossier for hosting the event. The delegation met with His Royal Highness Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh. The mission also discussed technical aspects of the Kingdom’s candidature dossier for World Expo 2030, holding meetings and workshops with ministers and senior officials. Experts in the exhibitions, conferences, and festivals sector believe that the Kingdom’s structural capabilities, tourist destinations, and experiences in various events confirm its ability to host the “Expo 2030” exhibition. The success of annual celebrations, exhibitions, and events in Saudi Arabia, such as book fairs, festivals, and international sports championships, as well as initiatives like the Green Middle East initiative and the Saudi Green Initiative, support the Kingdom’s candidacy and give preference to its submitted dossier over other countries competing to host World Expo 2030.