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"The Making of a World Expo" Special Fall/Winter/Spring Essay Series

Milan Expo 2015: "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life"

     The "World's Fair Express" began in the summer of 2014 as a part of the summer theme "The Art of Progress." Each of the major pages on the site is themed to a particular World's Fair/World Expo, beginning in the City of Light, Paris, in 1889. The path of each of the pages listed in the links above finishes with the last World Expo which was held in China in 2010. All this leads up to the celebration of the next World Expo which will open in Milan, Italy, in May of 2015. Modern World Expos last for six months and attract millions of viewers, but they also have evolved from their World's Fair roots. The Milan Expo will have a very focused theme, "Feeding the Plant, Energy for Life." The essays which will appear on the site between now and may will delve a little deeper into the content of the Expo and how the event will be addressing the theme. The schedule of the articles that will appear through May 2015 is included below.

• November/December 2014 - Introduction to the 2015 Milan World Expo

• January - March 2015 - Monthly Expo-related topics

• April/May 2015 - News of the opening and early reviews of the 2015 Milan World Expo

March 2015 Essay

"Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life: Global Participants (Part II)"

     There are now less than two months to go until the May 1st opening of Expo 2015 in Milan, Italy, and the event grounds are truly beginning to take shape. For those just beginning to visit the Expo essay section, all previous Milan Expo essays (November/December 2014 and January and February 2015) can be accessed in the Essay Archives. This month's feature is the second part of a two-part essay looking at some of the participants in this global gastronomic gala. Milan and Italy may be the host city and country, but the event might more aptly be compared to an international Olympics of food, minus the competition. With at least 20 million people projected to visit the Expo, this is a second look at what visitors to the event might be likely to find. Host-created thematic areas which will set the stage for the overall visitor experience and country "clusters" were described in the previous essays. But since a good percentage of any visitor's time at the event is likely to be spent visiting the self-built country pavilions, a few more of them will be included in the previews below. To close out the March essay, there also will be a brief discussion of how a couple of other programs will be enriching the visitor experience at the event. The most current list of all countries, organizations and companies participating can be found on the Expo "Participants" page (www.expo2015.org/en/participants).

Country Pavilions (Part II)

     Further up toward the top of this page is a video combining archival photographs of the Paris Exposition Universelle, or the Paris World's Fair of 1889. Several images show the pavilions erected by various nations from throughout the world. Individual self-built national pavilions have been a central feature of World Fairs/World Expos for a major portion of their existence, and the Milan Expo is no exception. The U.S. Pavilion, with the theme "American Food 2.0," was introduced in the November/December essay and hopefully will be revisited again closer to the event's opening date. Previously, the Latvian and United Arab Emirates (UAE) pavilions also were introduced. Previews of a few other country pavilions are included below to continue demonstrating the wide variety of interpretations which have been taken in expressing the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life." (Please keep in mind that since the pavilions are still being built, the conceptual images and videos included below are designed only to illustrate what the pavilions might be like once completed and open to visitors.)

Thailand Pavilion. The theme for the Thailand pavilion is "Nourishing and Delighting the World." The design of the pavilion is inspired by a local hat used by Thai farmers called the "ngob" (explained more fully in the video below). The pavilion itself will have three levels indicating agriculture, nature and humans, and elements of the pavilion will incorporate Thai culture, agricultural initiatives important to the country, the variety of foods not only eaten in the country but exported to the rest of the world, and other varied aspects of Thailand itself. The video below is in the Thai language, but there are English subtitles. The pavilion website is www.thailandpavilionexpo2015.com.

(If the video doesn't load, it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSKtA1FcGTY). Photo credit: Thailand Pavilion Press Photo, downloaded March 2015 from http://www.thailandpavilionexpo2015.com/press_data.

Malaysian Pavilion. Imagine for a second what seeds might look like turned into larger-than-life structures. If you can picture that in your mind, then you can begin to envision the Malaysian Pavilion. The country offers the following explanation of the pavilion: "[The] seed is a metaphor for Malaysia's own economic transformation from one based primarily on commodities and agriculture through export-oriented industrialization. It is also one driven by higher value-added industries and services. The architectural design incorporates green and sustainable features in line with the sustainability theme of the Expo. The external structure of the seeds are constructed with "Glulam," or glued laminated timber, an innovative structural timber made of local sustainable material. The choice of Glulam, combined with the structurally complex form of our pavilion . . . is a deliberate effort to showcase Malaysia's capabilities in both design and innovative materials." (n1) The theme is "Passion for Life, Energizing the World." The pavilion website is www.malaysiapavilion2015.com.my.

(If the video doesn't load, it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKdrRw2PzkE).

French Pavilion. As shown in the video below, the origin of the design of the French pavilion is in an inverted section of a topographical map, "illustrating the French identity born from its territories." (n2) That inverted structure will become the equivalent of a French open air marketplace to correspond with the theme "Different Ways of Producing and Supplying Food." The pavilion will be constructed with wood "locally produced from the forests of the Jura mountains," and "through an abundance of experiences, materials, smells, plants, products and information, the France pavilion [will invite] you to discover its technical, scientific, productive, ecological and gastronomic advantages." (n3) As in most of the pavilions, there will be a performance space, interactive learning area, a variety of programming, varied restaurant/food service facilities, and a shop. The pavilion website is www.france-milan-2015.fr/en/home. Some narration and titles in the video below are in French, but otherwise the video still provides a good illustration of the pavilion for anyone not understanding the language.

(If the video doesn't load, it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI59GxMulPk). Photo source: French Pavilion Press Photo, downloaded March 2015 from http://www.france-milan-2015.fr/en/presse; credit: Photo Studio Adeline Rispal/Simonin SAS.

UK Pavilion. The UK Pavilion, the "Hive," plays on parallels between bee and human societies. (n4) The intended visitor experience at the pavilion is described as follows: "Visitors will engage with the theme as they meander through a beautiful fruit orchard and enter a natural wildflower meadow. As they near the centre of the meadow, the focal point of the UK Pavilion will come into view: a delicate and ethereal golden orb structure made of fine steel lattice based on a abstracted-analogue of the honeycomb. The Hive will pulsate and buzz with the noise of a real bee colony." (n5) The pavilion, designed by Wolfgang Buttress, also is intended "to shine a light on the cutting-edge British research working to alleviate these pressing challenges [of feeding the planet] and highlights UK expertise and innovation." (n6) The video below is a walk-through of the "Hive."

(If the video doesn't load, it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_2aNr3hDV0).

Hungarian Pavilion. ALAKOR, the Hungarian pavilion, incorporates several unique features. Some will be outlined here, and those wishing to read more may visit the page www.expohungary.com/en/expohungary/pavilion. Looking at either side of the pavilion, "the shamanic drums . . . refer to the ancient roots and the mystical bond between humans and nature, where the central barrel is a symbol of abundance, easily asociated with Noah's Ark . . . Atop it all sits the roof garden, showcasing the kaleidoscope of life. The ribs or staves stretching up to the sky past the garden could be part of a monumental skeleton, but at the same time show openness towards the sun, protecting the core like giant petals and leaves on a plant." The pavilion explanation also says that " . . . the presentation of Hungarian values was part of the planning process from the onset. Water, as a network of flows, is present throughout the entire building, referring in different forms to the Hungarian sweet, thermal and mineral water treasures. The water flows through the Tree of Life symbol on the facade of the shamanic drums, as if through a spring, and flows as a river through the garden and through the staves, with an airflow of rising bubbles representing mineral water . . . The open-air garden will house the garden of elements on one end, with the vegetable, spice and herbal garden displayed on the other. The main axis of the garden will be a rubble stone riverbed, with the water flowing through it into a well. These areas are meant to show and popularize the advantages of mosaic agriculture, garden agriculture and organic food. The growing of GMO-free and ancient native species will have added emphasis." (n7). Pavilion builders also cite certain innovations contained in the pavilion, including "energy-generating stairs and floors, sound-to-electricity converter generators for the internal spaces, . . . and a large meter display [showing] the energy generated on [a] given day, week, [or] month and the entire Expo." (n8) The pavilion website is www.expohungary.com/en.

(If the video doesn't load, it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iSDLR21IQM). Photo source: Expo Hungary photo gallery, downloaded March 2015 from http://www.expohungary.com/en/gallery/pavilion-en; credit: Immagine Esterna.

Mexico Pavilion. In April of 2014, the winners of a national contest for the design of the pavilion for Mexico were announced. The winning team members, Francisco Lopez Guerra Halmada, Jorge A. Vallejo Garcia and Juan Guzzy, were selected from about 40 teams. Given the importance of corn in Mexico's culture and heritage, the "winning design was inspired by totomoxtle, or corn husks, and based on the principle of sustainability." (n9) The pavilion's theme is "Mexico, the Seed for the New World: Food, Diversity and Heritage." Though no website for the pavilion has been located at this time, images of the projected design can be found in the country's page on the Expo website at www.expo2015.org/en/participants/countries/mexico.

     Those wishing to view the designs of other country pavilions can find thumbnail images and (in most cases) more information by going to a specific country link on the page www.expo2015.org/en/participants/countries. A basic idea of what a visitor's view might be walking down World Avenue (also referred to as the Decumanus), or central path through the Expo along which most of the country pavilions will be located, can be seen by visiting the virtual expo site at www.virtual.expo2015.org.

"Feeding Knowledge" - Sustainability

     Sustainability, a key principle highlighted in the design for the pavilion of Mexico, is an important concept which will be stressed in many ways throughout the Expo. While an individual country's pavilion may highlight the issue on a more macro scale, projects on a smaller scale from around the world also will be introduced at the Milan Expo. In November of 2013, a call launched for projects exhibiting "Best Practices" in sustainable development resulted in nearly 800 applications. From those applications, a total of 18 winners in five categories were selected based on nine criteria: innovation, social impact, environmental impact, concreteness, transferability and replicability, openness, attractiveness, sustainability and dissemination . (n10) The idea behind exhibiting some of these "Best Practices" is that projects which are successful in one place may provide models or replicas which may be used in other places to address the problems of "Feeding the Plant, Energy for Life." Visitors will be able to see videos of the top project in each of the five categories, plus photo exhibits of the other winning projects, in Pavilion Zero at the entrance to the Expo for the duration of the event.

     Information on all the projects is available at www.feedingknowledge.net, and the top winner in each of the five priority area categories of projects is listed below.

Priority 1: Sustainable Natural Resources Management - The Mongolian Ministry of Industry and Agriculture Green Gold Project. Expo's online Magazine described the significance of the project by saying, ". . . In Mongolia, vast stretches are at risk of desertification, . . . [and] today over 70% of grazing lands are considered to be in such a state of degradation that they can no longer guarantee survival for the livestock in the years to come . . . But the . . . Green Gold Project . . . allows specific policies to be identified that help the country's leading industry and ensure the population's food safety . . . Better management of herds has led to economic increases for shepherds . . . In the almost seven years since the program began, over 3 million hectares have been returned to grazing use." (n11) Read more at the "Feeding Knowledge" site, or visit http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/grazing-lands-at-risk-for-desertification--the-solution-in-mongolia

Priority 2: Quantitative and Qualitative Enhancement of Crop Products - FAO/IARBIC Project in Niger Boosting Agricultural Production Through New Forms of Finanicing and Fertilizer Sales. In this project, " Farmers know that crop yields are affected by a multitude of variables, ranging from the climate to which farming techniques are employed. But they also know that in low-fertility lands, the variable that makes the biggest difference is the use or lack of use of quality fertilizers. Through the IARBIC project, the FAO in Niger is trying to remedy low agricultural production by improving access to quality fertilizers. To do this, the network of cooperative shops that sell fertilizers is being developed and strengthened, along with the farmers' organizations that manage them." (n12) Read more at the "Feeding Knowledge" site, or visit http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/in-niger--fertilizer-shops-give-a-new-start-to-agriculture

Priority 3: Socio-Economic Dynamics and Global Markets - Guatemalan National Coffee Association (ANACAFE) Initiative Protecting Small Coffee Producers. This project a joint effort between ANACAFE and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperaton (MAECI). Through this initiative, " . . . small coffee producers receive training that expands their technical skills in farming, organization and business . . . The aim is to strengthen traditional farming through the use of new techniques that have a minimal impact on the environment . . . [and] ensure a high-quality coffee product so as to attract a niche market of consumers. Selected cooperatives are composed of entrepreneurs in the area who have previous business experience, organizational soundness and guaranteed quality." (n13) Read more at the "Feeding Knowledge" site, or visit http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/guatemala-helps-small-coffee-producers-

Priority 4: Sustainable Development of Small Rural Communities - Njombe Milk Factory in the Njombe District of Tanzania. The Njombe Milk Factory is "a partnership between Granrolo, CEFA, and the livestock farmers' association NjoLIFA . . . [which has] led to the establishment of the Njombe Milk Factory, a profit-making concern that employs Tanzanian workers in the collection, testing, processing and sale of milk. The company also produces cheese and yoghurt, which are sold in major stores nationwide . . . The business aims to provide children with high-quality milk in order to effectively combat stunted growth caused by malnutrition." (n14) Read more at the "Feeding Knowledge" site, or visit http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/milk-and-its-derivatives-become-big-business-in-tanzania

Priority 5: Food Consumption Patterns: Diet, Environment, Society, Economy and Helath - Fondazione Banco Alimentare in Italy Recovers Excess Food and Transforms it Into a Resource For Those Who Need Help. Expo's online magazine says that "Fondazione Banco Alimentare . . . (the Italian Food Bank Network Foundation) [is] a non-profit organization located in every region and that is already present in other countries. The goal is to provide daily meals to the poor by recovering food that was not consumed . . . Every year the food collected by the Bank helps more than 9 thousand charity organizations and reaches almost 2 million people (one third of the poor it Italy . . .)" (n15) Read more at the "Feeding Knowledge" site, or visit http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/italy--reduce-food-waste-to-help-those-in-need

WE - Women For Expo 2015

(If the video doesn't load, it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=moiod7BTNB4).

     As said in one of the earlier Expo essays, the role of women will be highlighted in Expo thematic content because it often is women who play crucial roles in managing households and ensuring a family's nutrition as well as handling food production and preparation. The WE - Women in Expo project, explained briefly in the video above, is a project developed in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Fondazione Arnoldo e Alberto Mondadori. Goals of the project range from reaching and involving women from all over the world in expressing themselves about the theme of food to relating women's roles in food and nutrition to global initiatives such as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Efforts and initiatives of the WE - Women for Expo project also will extend to issues beyond the Expo, and those interested in learning more may visit www.we.expo2015.org.

*            *            *

     Construction on Expo grounds is now reaching the final phase and soon the finishing touches will be put into place on all facilities. Thank you for visiting the essay section this month, and please come back again in April - the final month before the May 1st opening of Expo 2015!

FOOTNOTES - The footnotes are indicated in the text in parentheses with the letter "n" and a number. If you click the asterisk at the end of the footnote, it will take you back to the paragraph in which the citation was located.

n1 - Malaysia Pavilion 2015 website, "Pavilion Tour," viewed online March 2015 at http://malaysiapavilion2015.com.my/pav#?pavilion-tour. (*)

n2 - Pavilion France Expo Milano 2015 website, Architecture/Architectural Concept: A Territory Building, A Fertile Market, viewed online March 2015 at http://france-milan-2015.fr/en/architecture (*)

n3 - Ibid. (*)

n4 - United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Pavilion: Milan 2015 brochure, Britain/Northern Ireland, 18 May 2014, p. 4. Downloaded March 2015 from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-pavilion-milan-2015. (*)

n5 - Ibid. (*)

n6 - Ibid. (*)

n7 - Hungary Pavilion of the Expo Milano 2015 website, ALAKOR: The Hungarian Pavilion, CARPATHIA: Nemzeti Kreativ Gazdasagfejleszto es Innovacios Kft, pp. 1-2, downloaded March 2015 from www.expohungary.com/en/expohungary/pavilion. (*)

n8 - Ibid, p. 3. (*)

n9 - English translation, "Mexico Participara en la Exposicion Universal De Milan 2015," Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States press release, April 21, 2014. Viewed online March 2015 at http://saladeprensa.sre.gob.mx/index.php/es/comunicados/4016-161. (*)

n10 - Expo Net/Online Expo Magazine, "Feeding Knowledge Awards 18 Best Practices from over 700 Entries," Innovation/Readzione Expo 2015, 3 February 2015, viewed online March 2015 at http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/accesso-al-cibo--si-candidano-in-piu-di-700. (*)

n11 - Expo Net/Online Expo Magazine, "Grazing Lands at Risk for Desertification? The Solution in Mongolia," Innovation/Readzione Expo 2015, viewed online March 2015 at http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/grazing-lands-at-risk-for-desertification--the-solution-in-Mongolia. (*)

n12 - Expo Net/Online Expo Magazine, "In Niger, Fertilizer Shops Give a New Start to Agriculture," Innovation/Readzione Expo 2015, viewed online March 2015 at http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/in-niger--fertilizer-shops-give-a-new-start-to-agriculture. (*)

n13 - Expo Net/Online Expo Magazine, "Guatemala Helps Small Coffee Producers," Innovation/Readzione Expo 2015, viewed online March 2015 at http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/guatemala-helps-small-coffee-producers-. (*)

n14 - Expo Net/Online Expo Magazine, "Milk and its Derivatives Become Big Business in Tanzania," Innovation/Readzione Expo 2015, viewed online March 2015 at http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/milk-and-its-derivatives-become-big-business-in-tanzania. (*)

n15 - Expo Net/Online Expo Magazine, "Italy, Reduce Food Waste to Help Those in Need," Innovation/Readzione Expo 2015, viewed online March 2015 at http://magazine.expo2015.org/cs/Exponet/en/innovation/italy--reduce-food-waste-to-help-those-in-need. (*)

LINKS LIST - The list of links external to the website found in the essay.

BIBLIOGRAPHY - There is no additional information to add this month. All source information and links are included in the Footnotes and Links List above.

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