8 Things to Know about the Shanghai World Expo, 2010

1. 8 Things you need to know about the World Expo, Shanghai 2010 The 2010 Shanghai World Expo opened on May 1 and will continue through October 31, 2010. 60 million Chinese plus 10 million international travelers are expected to take in the pavilions and presentations of more than 170 nations at this first World’s Fair of the 21 st Century.

2. The first World Expo was held in London in 1851. World expositions provide a platform for economic scientific, technological, and cultural exchange. In 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition was held in San Francisco – The Palace of Fine Arts remains today as a historic landmark in the City’s Marina district. One

3. Two The Theme of the World Expo, Shanghai 2010 is “Better City, Better Life”. The focus is on innovation in the areas of urban development and city life. The pavilions and exhibitions provide a platform for governments and participants to showcase new ideas and best practices in Urban Development.

4. Three San Francisco is the only U.S. city to be granted official participant status by the World Expo. San Francisco Week at the World Expo took place from June 17 to 25. San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City Committee organized the week of events including a green innovation exhibition with leading Bay Area companies at the Expo in the Urban Best Practice Area. A delegation of over 200 San Francisco government officials, businesses, and cultural performers participated in San Francisco week.

5. Four As part of the San Francisco exhibition at the Expo, the wax figures of Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming and US President Barack Obama were on display courtesy of San Francisco’s Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf. They delighted the delegation and visitors. The wax figure of US President Barack Obama remains at the Expo as part of an extended exhibition of San Francisco Week.

6. Five The USA Pavilion is one of 47 national pavilions. It is visited by over 45,000 guests a day. The CEO/President of the USA Pavilion is Bay Area native Martin Alintuck.

7. Six The China pavilion has a distinctive roof made of traditional dougong or brackets, which has a history dating back more than 2,000 years. The dougong style features wooden brackets fixed layer upon layer between the top of a column and a crossbeam. This style is one of the most important elements in traditional Chinese architecture. The 56 brackets used in the roof symbolize the 56 minority ethnic groups in China.

8. Seven The mascot for the World Expo, Shanghai is HAIBAO – literally meaning treasure of the sea and was inspired by the Chinese character meaning people.

9. Eight The World Expo, Shanghai 2010 is the place to be for any USA company working in China or with plans to expand in this growing market. It can serve as a venue to cultivate current business partnerships or establish new relationships. Lisa Spivey and DeLisa Leighton- Asian Directions 415-333-6800