Controversy about funding of Swiss Pavillon in Swiss

As reported on the website of the Swiss daily newspaper "Le Temps", a controversy swells in Switzerland. The subject of this controversy : the funding model of the Swiss Pavilion at the World Expo .

Original presentation model of the Swiss Pavilion (May 2012)

Indeed , the pavilion is sponsored by two firms with an unenviable reputation for environmental friendliness . The communication manager of a development aid organization Appointee Swissaid has affirmed that "Nestlé and Syngenta representing Switzerland in an exhibition focused on the theme of food is particularly unfortunate" For Romance Künzler, spokeswoman for the MultiWatch NGOs collective, "this cooperation should be canceled ."

The pavilion had been changed earlier. In December 2014, after NGO protest and anti-globalization elected, the initial project  has been revised downward. The initial design included four giant towers , including two sponsored by Nestlé. The tower on the theme of water was given to the Swiss Confederation. The message of this part of the house, concealed in the glass offered to visitors, will urge to consume and share responsibly water.

Another change , Nestlé tower will no longer filled with Nespresso capsules, but by 2.5 million sachets of Nescafe.

The last two rounds will be for one, filled with salt and marked prevention messages , while the other contains 420,000 dried apple bags, gift Swiss agriculture.

The basic structure will be completed by January 2015. The exhibition and interior spaces will be built at the end of February 2015.

Below, find the original draft of the presentation video published in May 2012 on the YouTube channel of the Swiss organizers of the event :

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Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life

World Exposition 2015 theme had been unveiled. It is entitled "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life". The organizers wish to include at this theme everything related to food, malnutrition problems in parts of the world, nutrition ways, but also what's related to GMOs.

This World Expo wants to focus on the solutions of the contradictions of our world. While a part of the world's population is suffering from hunger (about 840 million people in 2013 according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ), while other people die because of bad eating habits and fat overloads (1.8 million people die each year according to WHO). Plus, more than a quarter of the world's wastes (near 1.3 billion tonnes per year) are dispersed in the environment.

This exhibition takes place in a particular international political context.  In 2015, France will host the 21st climate conference. Including most of the world's countries, the conference will have to take crucial decisions on subjects exposed during the Universal Exhibition in Milan. Currently, Europe is representating a spear-head of international support for the establishment of sustainable development on Earth.

Most of the announced pavilions are coated with green walls, possessing last generation energy facilities (photovoltaic panels, economic ventilation systems, wind turbines,). Everything is done to think about a more sustainable development and ensure natural resource for the whole humanity.

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Milan, host city of the World Expo 2015

Milan, host city of the World Expo 2015, is one of the most important in Italy, both by its population and by its strategical economic importance.

Milan, an European crossroad

Milan, City Center

Capital of the Lombardy region, situated in the middle of the plains of the Pô, Milan counts approximately 1 340 000 inhabitants in 2014. By including its urban area, it constitutes the biggest urban area of the country. Former capital of the Western Roman Empire, Milan is the industrial, commercial, financial and university heart of Italy nowadays. Siege of the Italian stock exchange, it represents a big center of attractivity for the headquarters of companies, in particular in the sector of the fashion and the design. Indeed, Milan is one of the world fashion capitals : Milan welcomes one of the major « fashion weeks » and the International fair of the piece of furniture. 

Piazza del Duomo

Near 185,000 people live in Milan to study in institutions such as the prestigious Bocconi University, primary site of training of Italian political and economic elites. Leading tourist destination, with nearly two million tourists each year, it houses an important cultural heritage, made up of squares (Piazza del Duomo, Piazza Mercanti), palaces built during the Renaissance (Royal Palace of Milan, Palazzo della Ragione, Casa Panigarola), its famous opera (La Scala) and many museums.

Palazzo della Ragione

Native city of great painters such as Caravaggio and Arcimboldo, as well as former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Milan is at the crossroads of several regional importance routes of communication. Its location explains its history and its role in the Italian nation or transalpine countries.

La Scala

The city is served by three airports: the international airport of Malpensa, Linate and Bergamo-Orio al Serio. 

Overall, the three airports handle an annual traffic of about 34 million passengers, and constitute the second largest airport system in Italy after Rome. 
We will go back to this theme later in a post that'll be dedicated to transportation in Milan, and especially to its two international train station and its entire rail network.

Being an exceptionally cultural city, Milan has attracted various of history's greatest artists including people such as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Bramante, Arcimboldo, .... During Austrian domination, the city witnessed the development of many art schools, as well as its ballet and opera theatre: Teatro Regio Ducal. Mozart composed three operas in this theater: Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770); Ascanio in Alba (1771); and Lucio Silla (1772).

Vertumnus, Archimboldo, 1590.

Fruitbasket, Le Caravaggio, 1595.

Fight between a dragon and a lion, Leonard Da Vinci, about 1478.

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Word Expo: Key figures

World Expo Milan 2015, it is :

- 184 days exhibition, from the 1^st of May to the 31^st of October 2015

- 1 exhibition site measuring 1.1 million square meters

- More than 20 million visitors are expected including 12 million Italians and 8 million foreigners

- 148 Countries and international organizations represented (15 July 2014)

- 69 among them will have their own pavilion, while the others will be grouped into 9 groups

- More than 7 000 events organized throughout the exposition

- More than 60 000 people employed directly or indirectly for the organization of the event

- Value-Added of 10 billion euros for Italy, including 5 for planned tourism

- Revenue estimated at 1 billion euros (sponsors, partners, tickets, services)

- 2 Centerlines, the Cardo and Decumanus including one near measuring 1.5 kilometers in length, called "the World Avenue"

- 1.3 Billion euros invested by the Italian public entities

- € 1 billion invested by participating countries

- 86 Votes - against 65 - the Assembly of the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) has decided to organize this event to the city of Milan.

- 1 Official website translated into 3 different languages (Italian, English, French)

I would advise you to watch this video below which introduces all this :

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World Expo: Italy, host country!

After Shanghai in 2010, the World Expo will take place in the Old Continent for its new edition. Almost 100 years after having organized its last edition devoted to the transport theme, Milan, capital of the active Lombardy, will organize this exceptional event.

The organisation of this planetary event represents a blast of fresh air for depressed economic regions including Europe and Italy, in lack of major economic perspective. Italy, decried as the “weak link” and the symbol of Europe which “does not work", has everything to gain by organizing this event which represents a major regional advertisment to present to the World its skills and techniques. Matteo Renzi, the current Italian First Minister, predicts that “2015 will be an happy year”, according to the French newspaper Le Figaro.

This event should give a major economical boost to the Italian tourism industry, which would be a great asset for the entire country.
Over 20 million people from all over the world are expected by the event organizers. This strong appeal will delight all industry’s professionals. The region does not lack advantages for visitors : Venice, Verona, Turin, Florence, Bologna, Genoa, Mediterranean Sea or Italian Alps are located there, less than 3 hours away from Milan by car.

The city of Milan takes the opportunity of a great makeover and expects the influx to showcase its strengths: fashion, shopping and culture. We will publish an article soon, that shall be exclusively devoted to the capital of Lombardy and to the metamorphosis of its urban centre.

To end this post properly, I suggest that you watch the video below which is devoted to Lombardy and Milan :

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Welcome!

Less than 3 months before the inauguration of this exceptional event, we are so proud to open our own website dedicated to give as much information as possible about this major global exhibition.

We will analyse news, show the most beautiful and the craziest pavilions or inventions, and collect the broadest range possible of practical information available required to plan a solo, duo, or family trip.

Follow us regularly to get the latest news! We will be active on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Linkedin.

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