Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Secretary General, Dimitri Kerkentzes, travelled to Riyadh last week to review the preparations for World Expo 2030 Riyadh.
The four-day visit included a meeting between the Secretary General and H.R.H. Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission of Riyadh City (RCRC).
During a series of technical meetings, the BIE delegation and Saudi officials discussed Saudi Arabia’s framework and course of action for the Expo, including the formulation of the registration dossier, a detailed plan for the implementation of the Expo that is currently being finalised.
The technical visit focused on reviewing preparations for Expo 2030 Riyadh
The Registration Dossier will notably include scheduled operational dates, legislative and financial measures, the Expo site Master Plan, the conditions for international participation and legacy plans. Once submitted to the BIE and reviewed by the Organisation’s Secretariat and Member States, the General Assembly of the BIE will be able to formally register Expo 2030 Riyadh, allowing Saudi Arabia to invite international participants via diplomatic channels and begin preparations in earnest.
The BIE delegation also met with key officials involved in the Expo 2030 project, including, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal Alibrahim, the Minister of State and CEO of RCRC, Engineer Ibrahim Al-Sultan and Secretary of the Expo Higher Committee, Mohammed Al-Suraysri.
The BIE Secretary General indicated: “Since its election as World Expo 2030 host country, Saudi Arabia has been diligently moving in the right direction towards hosting a transformational event. With meticulous coordination at the highest levels, Expo 2030 Riyadh is set to be a remarkable opportunity for the world to discover Saudi Arabia and for Saudi Arabia to welcome the world.”
Saudi Arabia was elected as the host of World Expo 2030 during the 173rd General Assembly of the BIE in November 2023. Organised under the theme “Foresight for Tomorrow,” Expo 2030 Riyadh aims to welcome over 200 countries and international organisations between 1 October 2030 and 31 March 2031.
World Expos, officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, are global gatherings of nations addressing current universal challenges. These unparalleled global events offer a journey inside a chosen theme through engaging and immersive activities. Taking place every five years and lasting up to six months, World Expos welcome tens of millions of visitors, allow countries to build extraordinary pavilions, and transform the host city for years to come.
The most recent World Expo, Expo 2020 Dubai, took place under the theme “Connecting minds, “Creating the future”, and received over 24 million visits. The next World Expo, Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, will take place between 13 April and 13 October 2025, under the theme “Designing future society for our lives”.