shanghai expo
The Shanghai World Expo, which opened on May 1 and will end on October 31, has broken all records by getting over 64 million visitors as of last Saturday, the 168th day of the expo. Seen as the largest expo ever, it showcases the ideas, culture and technology coming from dozens of companies and about 240 countries.
On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), today welcomed the 5,800,000th visitor to the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Canada has now exceeded its attendance goal two weeks before the end of the exposition.
A group of 1,000 Japanese youngsters will be visiting the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai from Oct 27 to 30, another step toward restoring soured bilateral relations. Originally scheduled on Sept 21, the trip had to be postponed due to the rift between the two countries caused by a boat collision and consequent diplomatic rows.
Since opening in May, the tremendous success of the Shanghai Expo has been vividly demonstrated by what has also been the source of the greatest number of complaints: endless queues. Visitors, primarily Chinese, arrive as early as 3am and assemble in ever-longer lines in front of national pavilions, with the biggest crowds drawn to the ones packed with technology.
I've written in The Huffington Post about the State Department, as part of its plan to privatize American public diplomacy, creating a bogus nonprofit corporation and compelling the IRS to give it tax exempt status so that the nonprofit, Shanghai Expo 2010, Inc., could attract corporate sponsors, the State thus avoiding any need to seek funding from Congress
Saudi Arabia at Expo 2010 Shanghai