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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Dazzling spectacle of lights marks Yeosu Expo’s opening |14 May 2012

Dazzling spectacle of lights marks Yeosu Expo’s opening

The Yeosu Expo is the first world expo to be held on the water with the ocean as its venue

This followed a banquet hosted by the President of Korea, Lee Myung-Bak. 
President Michel was accompanied by the Minister for Environment and Energy, Dr Rolph Payet, and the Seychelles Ambassador to China, Philippe Le Gall.

The expo, under the theme ‘Living Ocean and Coast’, was officially opened by President Lee Myung-Bak in a ceremony that was also attended by Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, President Ollanta Humala of Peru, Prime Minister Karim Massimov of Kazakhstan, and President Anote Tong of Kiribati.

“This expo promises to recognise the infinite value of the ocean and the coast, both in terms of the environment and culture. The Indian Ocean has a vital role to play in this international exhibition, particularly the island states such as Seychelles, that have shaped their way of life as well as their economies on a special harmony between the ocean, its peoples and their sustainable development,” said President Michel following the opening of the expo.

President Michel is representing the Indian Ocean Commission at the Yeosu Expo, as the Seychelles Presidency of the IOC provides an opportunity to advocate the concerns of Small Islands Developing States at the international gathering.

During the next three months, a total of 104 countries, 10 international organisations including the U.N., as well as 23 local governments and Korea’s most successful technology companies will take part in the Yeosu Expo.

“Together with these participants, the expo will provide an opportunity to address the challenge of climate change faced by the international community, and propose the ocean as the vision for sustainable development of humankind in the 21st century,” said Kang Dong-suk, chairman of the Yeosu Expo organising committee in his welcome remarks.

The Yeosu Expo, which will run for three months through August 12, is the first world expo to be held on the water with the ocean as its venue.

The participating countries’ national flags are paraded at the expo’s opening ceremony

The Theme Pavilion, the floating stage and the water screen named “The O” are all on the water. Some 8,000 cultural and arts performances will be staged here.

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