On April 8, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ethiopia held a press conference on Expo 2010 Shanghai, China at the compound of the Ministry. H.E. Ato Mahmmed Dirir,Minister of Culture and Tourism, and Mr. Wei Hongtian, Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy respectively briefed the journalists on the preparation work of Expo. 2010 and Ethiopia's participation in the Expo respectively. State Minsiter Mr. Mohamud Gaas, Mr. Sisas Getachew, Commissioner General of Ethiopian Section of the Expo, representatives of Ethiopian NGO and private sectors, journalists from Xinhua Agency, ENA, Ethiopian Herald and among others were present at the press conference.
Hereafter is the speech delivered by Mr.Wei Hongtian, Chargé d'affaires of Chinese Embassy at the Press Conference on Expo 2010 Shanghai, China.
Speech by Mr.Wei Hongtian
Chargé d'affaires of Chinese Embassy At the Press Conference on Expo 2010 Shanghai, China
(April 8, 2010)
Your Excellency Mr. Mohammed Dirir, Minister of Culture and Tourism,
Your Excellency, Mr. Mohamud Gaas, State Minister of Culture and Tourism,
Mr.Sisay Getachew Azage, Commissioner General of Ethiopian Section of the Expo.
Friends from the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon!
It's my great honor and pleasure to attend this press conference and provide you some information on the Expo 2010 Shanghai, China at the eve of the official opening of the Expo on April 30, 2010. First of all, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Government of Ethiopia, especially the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other government departments of Ethiopia for their firm support to the Expo Shanghai. Special appreciation will go to Mr. Sisay Getachew, the Commissioner General of Ethiopia Section of the Expo. for his hard working, excellent coordination and consultation.
As it is well known that, the World Expositions are galleries of human inspirations and thoughts. After the first Great Exhibition of Industries of All Nations in 1851, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges. This year, the World Exposition will be held for the first time in a developing country, China. And Expo Shanghai will be another great event held in China after the successful Beijing Olympic 2008. Since Shanghai city won its successful bid for the World Exposition in December 2002, the Chinese Government and Shanghai Municipal Authority go to full lengths to make Expo 2010 Shanghai a special event that carries on traditions and opens a new vista into the future.
The theme of Expo 2010 Shanghai is "Better City, Better Life", representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments. Providing an extraordinary educational and entertaining platform for visitors of all nations, Expo Shanghai will create blueprints for future cities and harmonious urban life styles through 5 different sub-themes, (1) Blending of diverse cultures in the city, (2) Economic prosperity in the city, (3) Innovations of science and technology in the city, (4) Remodeling of communities in the city and (5) Interactions between urban and rural areas. From May 1 to October 31, 2010, participants will display urban civilization to the full extent, exchange their experiences and views of urban development, disseminate advance notions on cities and explore new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle and working conditions in the new century.
As promising on the occasion of the bidding for holding the Expo, Chinese Government honors its commitment of providing a total of USD 100 million to developing countries' participation in the Expo as financial assistance. out of the 53 African countries, 48 of them ,which Ethiopia is included, are the recipient countries. With the understanding and support of from all over the world, 192 countries and 50 international organizations have confirmed their participation in the Expo. This makes the Expo 2010 Shanghai the most participated ones in the World Exposition's history.
All important celebrations will be planned and entrusted by the Organizer to professional teams at home and abroad for production and operation. The celebrations will include the opening ceremony of Expo 2010 on the evening of April 30, 2010 and the closing ceremony on the evening of October 31, the China Day at the China Pavilion on October 1, the opening ceremony of the Expo Site on May 1, and the daily opening and closing of the Expo Site.
Thematic events are planned by the Organizer with the enthusiastic participation by the participants. These events will be divided into four series, namely folkway series, festive series, youthful Expo series and community series. Also, we have original events, which refer to shows and activities especially created on the theme of the Expo 2010 and first debuted for the Expo, and tours, which refer to up to 20 thousand art performances given by the professional art troupes from different countries, including Ethiopian Art Troupe in the Expo Site during prescribed hours and routes every day.
Besides, the events organized by participants will include two types: national pavilion days and special days, and special weeks and daily events organized by Chinese Provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. So according the preliminary schedule, we have the Africa Month in June and the September 10 as Ethiopia's National Pavilion Day.
All those events shall be an important approach to the goal of hosting a "successful, splendid and unforgettable" Expo 2010 Shanghai.
Your Excellencies Ministers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As the official opening of Expo 2010 Shanghai is around the corner, the city of Shanghai is now adding final touches to infrastructure and beautification projects and trying to ensure all Expo pavilions open on time. Permanent Structures Pavilions, like China Pavilion, Theme Pavilion, Expo Center, Expo axis, among others have completed the construction; 42 Self-built Pavilions are now under decoration stage; up to 22 million tickets have already been sold.
The organizer estimated that the Expo Site will attract 70 million visitors during the whole Expo duration of five months, namely 400,000 visitors daily. This target could only be reached with 8 years persistent efforts by Chinese Government and its people, and the full participation of participants, including Chinese old friend, Ethiopia.
Your Excellencies Ministers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
China and Ethiopia enjoys a long-standing traditional friendship. The year of 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and Ethiopia, which is a milestone in the history of Sino-Ethiopian relationship. Mutual trust, equality and mutual benefit are the main sources of vigor and vitality of our flourishing bilateral relations. Over recent years, the Sino-Ethiopian relationship has showed itself a momentum of an all-round, sound and rapid development, with abound and fruitful results from the pragmatic cooperation in various areas. We are so happy to see that China-Ethiopia friendly cooperative relationship has set up an example of Sino-African friendship and South-South cooperation.
The exchange in the field of culture is an important component of bilateral relations and plays an important role in enhancing the understanding between our two peoples. I am very glad to point out that, the Expo 2010 Shanghai, China, is not only a great event for the Chinese People, but also a celebration for the Ethiopian people. The preparatory work of Ethiopian stand in Africa Joint Pavilion goes very smoothly under the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ethiopia, and the contribution of the team leaded by the Commissioner General, Mr. Sisay Getachew Azage. The Ethiopian Government has planned to make full use of the Expo as an good opportunity to present its image through the promotion of its natural, historical and cultural heritages to the Chinese people and to the world at large, and to have interactions with participants from all over the world, and to seek opportunity and to make fortune for the wellbeing of the Ethiopian people. I believe the Expo will show a true, beautiful, unique and united Ethiopia and African continent for the whole world, and the activities in the Expo by the Ethiopian delegation will boost up trade relations and attract more investment from China and the world.
Your Excellencies, Ministers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
With the great joint efforts of the Chinese Government and its 1.3 billion people and the support from the international community, I am sure that China is ready to present to the world a successful, splendid and unforgettable exposition, and that Ethiopia's participation will gain full success in the Expo 2010.
Welcome to China
Welcome to Expo 2010 Shanghai, China.
I thank you for your kind attention.