The city of Milan has already begun preparations for the Universal Exhibition in 2015. Winning against its only competitor, the Turkish city of Izmir, Milan will host a green-themed Expo, entitled Nutrire il Pianeta, Energia per la Vita (Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life). The environmental theme helped secure the Expo for Milan, which had 86 votes to Izmir’s 65.
Milan Mayor Letizia Moratti received many accolades for her efforts in preparing the city for the bid: ‘It’s a fantastic victory for Milan and for Italy, and I want this Expo to be for the world’, she said.
‘This victory is important-we all worked together as a unit and the result has been exceptional’, commented outgoing Premier Romano Prodi. Meanwhile, president of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano said it was ‘a great day for Italy’ and ‘a reason for pride’.
Milan’s Expo proposal focused on fighting famine and malnutrition worldwide through sustainable development, global cooperation and new technology. ‘Our Expo will not just be a logo, but it will be a network to enable the construction of schools and hospitals for everyone…We’ve done a lot of work in terms of listening and understanding, and we are not alone-we are collaborating with many charities and associations for a project that favours countries less fortunate than we are’, Moratti said.
The six-month fair will involve 152 countries and attract an estimated 30 million visitors to the city. Italy last hosted the Expo in 1992 in Genoa. Upcoming world fairs will be held in Shanghai in 2010 and in Yeosu, Korea, in 2012.
