350 officials, delegations from 140 countries; Mali: EXPO 2027 is the biggest development opportunity VIDEO

Belhassen: The Serbian authorities at the IPM meeting for the EXPO showed great ability

The Director General of the Department of Economic and Cultural Diplomacy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia Mourad Belhassen, said that today's first meeting for planning international participation (International Planning Meeting - IPM) at the Specialized Exhibition EXPO 2027 in Belgrade was excellently organized, and that the Serbian authorities showed great ability and professionalism in organizing large gatherings.

"Serbia is a very stable and peaceful country, but the EXPO event would further improve such an image of Serbia and make this region attract even more tourists and investments, strengthen Serbia's economy and make it bigger and stronger," Belhassen emphasized at a press conference in the Sava Center, where the two-day IPM meeting began today.

As he said, organizing any EXPO of that size, which represents many different factors of culture, sport and economy, improves the country's image in the world and highlights its various potentials.

He emphasized that the organization of the EXPO exhibition in 2027 will play an important role in utilizing the great potential that Serbia has.

He thanked for the invitation and pointed out that the Serbian authorities showed great ability and professionalism in the organization.

"I am equally impressed and I really appreciate the choice of the topic - gaming. It is an important topic, very well thought out and the purpose is to show diversity and to encourage the exchange of dialogue and cultures and to point out the importance of games in international relations and in the economy. To show the strength and achievements of nations, but also to flash a new and more humane world in which there is interaction between people that can enrich both sides", stressed the representative of Tunisia at the press conference.

When asked how the country will be presented at the Expo in Belgrade, he said that they want, first of all, to show the various cultural and economic aspects of Tunisia.

"We want to present the main characteristics of our economy to visitors, what differentiates us and makes us unique and what similarities we can find, as well as culture," he emphasized.

He said that good relations between the two countries exist especially since the founding of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and emphasized that then Tito and Habib made a very brave and original political decision to establish that movement, to be neutral.

The representative of San Marino, Filippo Franchini, said at the conference that the EXPO is always an excellent opportunity for delegations that want to foster innovation and cooperation, but also present their identity.

"San Marino has not yet made a decision on participation, because we need more information for budget planning considering that we are currently participating in the EXPO in Osaka," Franchini said, adding that they have prepared the design anyway.

Franchini expressed his belief that San Marino will appear at the 2027 EXPO in Belgrade.

"We have close cooperation with your country, and this is my first visit to Serbia and I have a very good impression. Belgrade is very beautiful, the organization is excellent, and the staff is professional. It will be a nice event in 2027," he said.

When asked how San Marino would present itself at the EXPO, Franchini says that the focus would be on sports and music.

"We are dedicated to peace, cooperation and sharing a vision with others. We are open to musical possibilities and for three years now we have had a competition for the best San Marino song. We brought violinists and violin makers to Osaka," said a representative of San Marino.

Mali: Officials of countries from all meridians are in Belgrade today and tomorrow

"Officials of countries from all meridians are in Belgrade today and tomorrow! We are preparing for @expo_belgrade_2027 when our capital will become the center of the world," wrote Mali.

IPM delegates: Serbia excellently organized the first preparatory meeting for EXPO 2027

The representative of Bangladesh at the first meeting for planning international participation in EXPO 2027 (IPM), Abdul Rahim Khan from the Ministry of Trade of this country, said that Serbia and Belgrade had excellently organized today's first preparatory meeting for EXPO in Belgrade, which helps delegates decide how they will participate in this exhibition.

He pointed out that Bangladesh participated in the EXPO exhibition in Dubai, that it is now in Osaka, and that the representatives of Bangladesh like to, as he said, brand their country as promising for new generations.

"We will have challenges in accessing the market and we believe that EXPO will help us with that. We are still assessing how we will present ourselves on the main topic. The world will join together and play for a better future," he said at the press conference.

He stated that in Bangladesh they are still assessing how they will present themselves on the main topic and added that three sub-topics are being considered, but that they are still waiting for confirmation from the government on what they will choose.

He assessed that Belgrade is a wonderful city, with hospitable people and that it is evident that the development of infrastructure is progressing.

"Serbia has changed a lot and is ready for the next level of development. Let's play together for improvement," he pointed out.

When asked whether cricket will be played in Belgrade in two years, he said that his country is successful in cricket and that they want to present this sport in Belgrade.

Artur Sedrakyan from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports of Armenia stated that every EXPO is both a business and a social enterprise and that the Belgrade exhibition will be good for both business and social relations.

As he said, this country will organize major sports events from 2021, and will also participate in the EXPO in Belgrade.

"We want to be part of the EXPO because it is important for the whole world. Every sporting country wants to present its sport at this event," he pointed out.

He assessed that the exhibition in Belgrade will mark a great friendship for the two sports federations.

Maldonado: EXPO 2027 - a new chapter in the cooperation between Ecuador and Serbia

The Deputy Minister of Trade of Ecuador, Carolina Maldonado, said today, at the first meeting for planning international participation (International Planning Meeting - IPM) at the Specialized Exhibition EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, that participation in that exhibition will open a new chapter in the cooperation between Ecuador and Serbia.

Ecuador already has cooperation with EU countries when it comes to importing products from Ecuador, Maldonado told reporters and added that those products could also arrive in Serbia.

"We are talking about participating in this event (EXPO) because we think it is important for us, for the Ecuadorian government to improve the vision in that direction right now, as the president of Ecuador Daniel Noboa is doing, for Ecuador to open its arms to all different countries around the world," she stated.

She said that Ecuador participates in some important events and fairs in the world, but they were not present in Belgrade until now.

"We are very excited to be here now and Ecuador's participation in EXPO 2027 in Belgrade will be very interesting," said Maldonado.

She said that Ecuador will welcome the citizens of Serbia in that country with open arms.

She pointed out that Ecuador is a beautiful country that has the Galapagos Islands and many beautiful beaches, as well as mountains, but that she saw that Serbia also has a lot of beautiful things to see.

Given that the main theme of EXPO 2027 is games, sports and music for everyone, when asked if she had the opportunity to hear Serbian music, she said that she heard it at the hotel and that she liked it very much.

Maldonado emphasized that a large number of people came to the preparatory meeting for the EXPO in Belgrade and that the organization was excellent.

"I'm very impressed with how many people are coming and how specific you are. The other thing I really liked was the way you organized yourself, everything is really well planned. It's really amazing how hard you're working to make a great EXPO in 2027," Maldonado emphasized.

Gori: At EXPO 2027, we will present Italian products and promote tourism

Italian Ambassador Luca Gori said today at the first international planning meeting (International Planning Meeting - IPM) at the EXPO 2027 Specialized Exhibition that he sees Italy's participation in the EXPO as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with many countries, including those outside the European continent, as well as that Serbia and Italy have many things in common in the field of sports and music that fit into the main theme of the specialized exhibition "Game(s) for humanity - sports and music for all".

"We have a lot of athletes from Serbia who play with us. Italy has participated in all the events so far and our presence is a tradition. We want to show domestic products and promote tourism," said Gori at the press conference.

They, as he says, want to develop tourism relations between Serbia and Italy, reminding that Serbia is connected with many Italian cities by direct flights.

"My expectations are above all to have a good time. We expect a lot of visitors and that this EXPO will enable new partnerships," said Gori at the press conference.

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The representative of Tanzania, Latifa Khamis, points out that the country has confirmed its participation in the upcoming EXPO, and that it has participated in all such events so far.

"We expect to expand and explore cooperation in Serbia through various programs. We will bring people from different sectors who will have the opportunity for business relations with Serbia. We will choose a topic through which we will present ourselves, and we will participate through eight programs," Khamis said.

Their expectations, as she says, are to copy the good things that Serbia provides through its rich culture, and the EXPO is the moment for the world to stop and connect different cultures.

"Everyone we talked to about Serbia has a positive opinion. Serbia is a country with a rich history and people who extended a welcoming hand to us when we arrived," said the representative of Tanzania at the press conference.

Ambassador of Switzerland Anne Lugon-Moulin pointed out that the country confirmed its participation in the EXPO, stating that around 600 Swiss companies work on the territory of Serbia.

"We are the fifth partner in foreign direct investment. Switzerland supports innovation in many projects throughout Serbia," said the ambassador.

Swiss Commissioner Manuel Salchli said that he was impressed by the professionalism of the EXPO organizers and thanked Serbia for its hosting approach.

He added that the theme of EXPO in Belgrade is very original and that there is a wide range of activities for the country's pavilion.

"It is very important for us to participate in such events and be part of Europe. I think that all countries are working on promoting their image and the potential in this is really huge," emphasized the representative of Switzerland.

Borovčanin: After June 17, the suppression of contracts with participating countries will begin

The director of the company EXPO 2027 Belgrade Dušan Borovčanin said today that on June 17, the General Assembly of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) will be held in Paris, when the adoption of an international agreement - Agreement between Serbia and the BIE is expected, and from that moment the signing of contracts with the participating countries will be able to begin.

He told Tanjug that Serbia has already started with the countries that have confirmed their participation and that they are actively working on the so-called pre-contractual actions in terms of the allocation of their pavilion and their response to the topic.

"We want to start signing contracts with the participating countries very quickly from the moment the agreement is adopted. Our goal is that by the end of this year, all countries that have confirmed formal participation will sign the contract," he said.

He added that after the first of a total of four meetings that will be held today and tomorrow in Belgrade, the number of countries that have confirmed their participation will increase.

According to him, such technical meetings are common for EXPO and serve to speed things up, considering that when the delegates are there for two or three days, when they go through all the topics, then they go back to their capitals and have much more information and things speed up.

He stated that three more meetings are planned and that the next preparatory meeting will probably be held in the next six to eight months, when a large number of countries are expected to sign contracts.

When it comes to the number of participating countries, he pointed out that the first plan was that there would be 120, and that now the plan is to surpass the record of 117 countries set in Astana.

"Given the number of countries that have already confirmed participation, we are quite confident that we will exceed that number of 120. I would not nominate if it will be 150, of course we want to, we can accept more than 150 countries and we will go for the highest possible number," he said.

"Our absolute plan and goal is for this to be the best specialized exhibition in history, and I'm sure that the candidate countries after us will want the same," he said.

Kerkentzes: It is normal to carry out construction works at the EXPO with temporary permits

Secretary General of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) Dimitri Kerkentzes said today that it is not unusual for the country hosting the EXPO to introduce temporary laws in order to be able to work more quickly on the construction related to the project and that this has happened in Japan and in the Emirates and in Italy.

"We had a lex specialis that was introduced to allow major infrastructure works to be completed earlier and not to be slowed down by bureaucracy," he said at a press conference at the first meeting to plan international participation in the EXPO 2027 Specialized Exhibition, which is being held in Belgrade.

Answering questions from journalists regarding the lex specialis and temporary construction permits, he said at the press conference that seven large buildings are being built at the EXPO 2027, which have a permanent construction permit, and when it comes to the inside, which are the pavilions of each country, they will have a temporary construction permits.

"At all EXPO events, we have temporary construction. Even what you saw in Japan, a lot of it will disappear after the EXPO ends in October. It is normal that the interior part of the pavilion is done under a temporary construction permit," Kerkentzes emphasized.

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Mali: Huge interest in EXPO from all over the world

"I welcome you to Belgrade and Serbia. It is a great honor and pleasure for me to have the opportunity to address you on behalf of our Government of the Republic of Serbia, as well as to greet you on behalf of our President Aleksandar Vučić. Over 400 delegates from 154 countries, five international institutions are participating here today, that means 159 countries and institutions, and this shows not only the justification of the EXPO 2027 organization, but also the huge interest of all the countries of the world," said Minister of Finance Siniša Mali.

As he stated, Serbia we live in today is not the same as it was 12, 13 years ago.

"Today you are in a country that is the third fastest growing economy in Europe, in a country that received an investment credit rating for the first time in history. That tells you enough about stability and prosperity. It is a big change compared to 13 years ago," he said.

As Mali stated, we are the only country that has an investment rating and the only country that is a candidate for full membership in the European Union.

"It speaks of the stability and economic policy that the Government of Serbia is conducting with our president. It is a big change compared to 13 years ago. We consider EXPO 2027 to be the greatest development opportunity not only for Serbia but also for the entire region," he said.

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He thanked everyone for their trust in the Republic of Serbia and the city of Belgrade to host the specialized EXPO in 2027.

"I will remind you, two years ago there was great competition and a large number of good competitors, good cities that applied for this event, but the largest number of countries in the world, over 80, gave their trust to one Serbia, gave their trust to Belgrade. And I am very grateful to you for that and on behalf of the entire government, on behalf of our president," said Mali.

"You know, we have presented to our citizens, and ultimately to the citizens of the region, a large and comprehensive plan called Leap into the Future in 2027. We have allocated 18 billion euros to improve the infrastructure in our Serbia in the next two years, to improve the road and railway infrastructure, to further invest in healthcare, education, culture, sports and more," said Mali.

As he stated, a new complex is being built in Belgrade that will be dedicated to EXPO 2027 and will be located on an area of ​​over 200 hectares.

"It will be the most modern complex with the National Stadium and 1,500 apartments that we are building for EXPO 2027 members. In the next two days, you will have the opportunity to see what it will look like, as well as thousands and thousands of workers and machines working to hand over the keys to you as participants on December 1," Mali explained.

According to him, 114 countries have confirmed their participation in EXPO 2027.

He emphasized that with its EXPO, Serbia will set a record for the number of participating countries held by Astana, where 117 countries gathered in 2017.

"EXPO 2027 will be with the largest number of participants ever in history," Mali added.

He expressed the hope that then we will leave all the difficult topics behind and pointed out that EXPO 2027 will be the biggest event in the whole world that year.

He emphasized that in the next two days, the guests will be able to get to know Belgrade, which, as he said, is known for many things, culture, history and most of all for its people.

"Feel like at home here. Let Serbia and Belgrade after EXPO 2027 become your second home," Mali said to guests from around the world.

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Participation in the IPM has been confirmed by more than 140 countries, with 350 delegates, from all continents, even from the distant Pacific. There will be not only European countries, such as Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, but also countries such as Jamaica, Japan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, China, Cuba, Eswatini.

The opening of the largest diplomatic meeting will be attended by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Siniša Mali, the Secretary General of the International Bureau for Exhibitions Dimitri Kerkentzes and the director of the company "Expo 2027" Belgrade Dušan Borovčanin, who will give introductory speeches at the opening of the two-day meeting, and among those present is the president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Marko Čadež.

It is the first of four preparatory meetings with representatives of the participating countries and countries interested in participating in the exhibition.

Borovčanin: In the coming days, IPM participants will see all the effort we put into the EXPO

At the very beginning, the director of the company "Expo 2027", Dušan Borovčanin, addressed the attendees and welcomed everyone.

He attends the opening of the first meeting for the planning of international participation (International Planning Meeting - IPM) at the Specialized Exhibition Expo 2027 with representatives from more than 150 countries, that in the coming days all the effort that has been invested in that manifestation will be seen.

"I would like to start by congratulating you on your great achievement. To illustrate this, I will quote a very popular Serbian writer and journalist - whoever was lucky enough to wake up in Belgrade today can already consider that he has achieved enough in his life. If I insisted on something greater than that, it would be excessive enjoyment, so I want to congratulate all of you for waking up in Belgrade today," Borovčanin said at the opening in the Sava Center.

Borovčanin expressed his gratitude to the Government of Serbia, especially the First Vice-President of the Government Sinisa Mali, for understanding the value that this project brings to Serbia.

"I would like to thank the commissioner of EXPO 2027. I think many of you know her and that it is her fault that we are here today. She was very dedicated to this project from the beginning of the nomination," Borovčanin said.

The goal of the meeting is for the participants to familiarize themselves with the results of the preparations so far for the specialized exhibition that will be held in Belgrade in 2027, and as Mali said earlier, the guests will be presented with further steps and activities in preparation for holding the Belgrade EXPO.

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Kerkentzes: Expo 2027 in BG will be the first EXPO in the Western Balkans - a new chapter

Secretary General of the International Bureau for Exhibitions, Dimitri Kerkentzes, said today, at the opening of the first meeting for planning international participation (International Planning Meeting - IPM) at the Specialized Exhibition Expo 2027 in Belgrade, that this meeting marks the beginning of a new chapter for Serbia, Southeast Europe, and the entire international community.

"It gives me great pleasure to be here in Belgrade with you today for this very important moment - the first international planning meeting for EXPO 2027 in Belgrade. This gathering marks the beginning of a new chapter and promise for Serbia, for Southeastern Europe and for the entire international community. For the first time, a specialized EXPO exhibition will be held in the Western Balkans, in a region of diverse cultures, heritage and dynamic creativity," said Kerkentzes.

He emphasized that through EXPO 2027, the world will discover new perspectives, new opportunities for connection and inspiration.

"The theme of this EXPO, let's play for humanity, music and sports for everyone, is really appropriate at this moment," Kerkentzes emphasized.

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The highest representatives of countries from all parts of the world, ministers, deputy ministers, state secretaries, ambassadors and directors of national institutions, who lead key policies in the fields of foreign trade, economic development, sports, tourism, culture, innovation, education and youth, arrived in the capital of Serbia.

The aim of the meeting is for the participants to familiarize themselves with the results of the preparations so far for the specialized exhibition that will be held in Belgrade in 2027, and the guests will be presented with further steps and activities in preparation for holding the Belgrade EXPO.

Delegates participating in this event will also be able to visit the EXPO construction site and learn about the dynamics of the works.

Through the "Show room" at the Belgrade Fair, they will have the opportunity to find out what they can expect at the upcoming specialized exhibition.

Borvočanin: At the first IPM meeting in Belgrade, there were more participants than at the IPM in Osaka

The director of the company EXPO 2027 Belgrade, Dušan Borovčanin, said today that Serbia can be proud of the fact that more than 150 countries are present at the first international planning meeting (International Planning Meeting - IPM) at the Specialized Exhibition Expo 2027, which, according to him, is more than the number of participants at the IPM in Osaka.

"Of course, we don't want to compare figures and numbers now, but I simply think it is important, bearing in mind the fact that we started inviting participating countries in December and that the response is so great when it comes to the number of confirmations from participating countries, which is 114," said Borovčanina at a press conference in the Sava Center.

Borovčanin pointed out that the IPM is a common form of technical meetings where countries that plan or have confirmed participation gather, and that the main topics will be the design of the construction of the pavilion and its content.

According to him, all countries are provided with a single point of contact, so that they are familiar with all administrative procedures.

"For now, the event is going great. I thank my team and everyone who worked on this event," Borovčanin said.

Košarac: Republika Srpska will be visible in full capacity at EXPO Belgrade

The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Staša Košarac, assessed today that the organization of EXPO 2027 in Belgrade is a serious economic, political and every other capital for Serbia, as well as a responsible policy towards the development of the economy of Serbia itself, but also of the region.

In a statement to the media at the first meeting for planning international participation in EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, he particularly highlighted the recent meeting held in Sarajevo with representatives of the EXPO Belgrade 2027 company, which sent a very strong message that Serbia sees the entire region as the host of EXPO 2027.

"That speaks of the strength and size of Serbia itself. I think that EXPO Belgrade 2027 is, first of all, regionally significant for the countries around Serbia, thereby confirming that Serbia is definitely a regional leader, but also today's presence of 154 countries and more than 400 delegates at this conference shows that Serbia is a world player," he pointed out.

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He stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a complex community, but that the BiH Presidency and the Council of Ministers have accepted participation in the EXPO and that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is in charge of implementation.

He pointed out that Serbia is an important foreign trade partner of Bosnia and Herzegovina, that he is moderately optimistic that BiH will fully appear, but that the Republika Srpska will be visible in full capacity at EXPO Belgrade.

"In the field of tourism, we have a lot to be proud of, rafting sports, for example, religious tourism in Trebinje has serious potential. EXPO Belgrade participants can come to Republika Srpska in just an hour and we can bring them to us to get to know what Republika Srpska has," said Košarac.

You can watch the opening of the first preparatory meeting here:

IPM is an opportunity to gather in one place the organizers of EXPO 2027, officials of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) and representatives of countries and international organizations to discuss the progress and ongoing preparations for the first international exhibition in the Western Balkans.

It is the first major international preparatory event for EXPO 2027, during which interested countries and those that have already confirmed participation, through a series of meetings, plenary sessions and presentations, will be able to get to know the expectations of the BIE, the organizational team of EXPO 2027 Belgrade, the theme and sub-themes of the exhibition, the master plan of the location, the progress and dynamics of works on the construction site, the way the web portal for international participants functions, the program, the content, logistics and all on-site operations to ensure the entire exhibition runs flawlessly.

Representatives of the countries will also be able to receive useful technical information about the construction and design of the pavilion and the entire construction site, as well as a special exhibition space in Hall 5 of the Belgrade Fair (EXPO Playground), which will soon be open to the public and will represent a kind of simulation of EXPO 2027 Belgrade.

The specialized exhibition EXPO 2027 will be held from May 15 to August 15, 2027 and will last 93 days.

The main theme of the exhibition is "Game(s) for Humanity: Sports and Music for All" and has three thematic units: The Power of Game, Let's Play Together and Game(s) for Progress.