Saudi Arabia's pavilion at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka will offer visitors a window into how the kingdom is evolving beyond oil dependency while preserving its cultural heritage, the country's ambassador to Japan said.
"What's exciting for Saudi Arabia is to have a comprehensive transformation that involves not just the economy, but culture, life, and the environment," Saudi Ambassador Ghazi Binzagr, who also serves as commissioner general of his country's Osaka expo exhibitions, said in a recent interview.
Designed by British architecture company Foster and Partners, the pavilion will highlight Saudi Arabia's diverse landscape from green mountains to coral reefs, he added.
"What the visitor will experience is a taste of what it's like to have a country in the middle of a transformation," the ambassador said.
Saudi Arabia is one of around a dozen countries setting up a so-called "Type A" self-built pavilion, considered the highlight of the expo.
The pavilion's structure embodies the country's transformation, featuring sustainable elements like solar panels along with cutting-edge technology, including artificial intelligence and virtual reality experiences, according to Saudi officials.
It draws on the architecture in the country's traditional villages, designed to lead visitors through a forecourt planted with Saudi Arabian flora and narrow streets to the courtyard where performances and events will be held, according to Foster and Partners.
The structure's cladding is made from lightweight Saudi stone and can be deconstructed and reassembled, or reconfigured, for use in a future location.
The Saudi pavilion will also reflect changes driven by the kingdom's young population. A dedicated space will showcase youth achievements and initiatives, demonstrating how "youth are choosing to be part of the transformation and part of the creation of tomorrow," the ambassador said.
Around 700 events planned during the Osaka expo will cover various topics including women's empowerment, sustainability, and renewable energy investments.
Given that this year marks the 70th anniversary of Saudi Arabia-Japan relations and that Saudi Arabia will host the World Exposition 2030 in Riyadh, an event to be held on Sept. 23, Saudi Arabia's national day, will be a very important one, he said.
"We don't just work closely with Japan to study expo. This is a collaboration that we have on a whole host of mega issues," he said.
© KYODO
3 Comments
Login to comment
sakurasuki
There's so many transformation in middle east compared to Japan, while Japan just stubbornly doesn't want to change anything by keep screaming "This is Japan"
Namahage
Will there be cut-price tickets for the media?
Mr Kipling
Will there be stoning to death and beheading displays? Will women be allowed to enter without a male family member? How about Gays?