Expo 2010 Overview

Duration:May 1 to Oct 31, 2010
Expected Visitors:70 million
Expected Participants:200

Expo Emblem

The emblem, depicting the image of three people-you, me, him/her holding hands together, symbolizes the big family of mankind.

Mascot

Created from the Chinese character "人" which means people, the mascot embodies the character of Chinese culture and echoes with the designing concept of the emblem of World Expo Shanghai.

Theme

The theme of Expo 2010 is "Better City, Better Life," representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments.

Brief Introduction of World Expo 2010 Shanghai
World Expositions are galleries of human inspirations and thoughts. Since 1851 when the Great Exhibition of Industries of All Nations was held in London, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, demonstrating esprit de corps and looking to the future.
With a long civilisation, China favours international exchange and loves world peace. China owes its successful bid for the World Exposition in 2010 to the international community's support for and confidence in its reform and opening-up. The Exposition will be the first registered World Exposition in a developing country, which gives expression to the expectations the world's people place on China's future development.
So what will Expo 2010 Shanghai China deliver to the world? There is no doubt the Chinese people will present to the world a successful, splendid and unforgettable exposition.
Expo 2010 Shanghai China will be a great event to explore the full potential of urban life in the 21st century and a significant period in urban evolution. Fifty-five percent of the world population is expected to live in cities by the year 2010. The prospect of future urban life, a subject of global interest, concerns all nations, developed or less developed, and their people. Being the first World Exposition on the theme of city, Exposition 2010 will attract governments and people from across the world, focusing on the theme "Better City, Better Life." For its 184 days, participants will display urban civilisation to the full extent, exchange their experiences of urban development, disseminate advanced notions on cities and explore new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle and working conditions in the new century. They will learn how to create an eco-friendly society and maintain the sustainable development of human beings.
Expo 2010 Shanghai China will centre on innovation and interaction. Innovation is the soul, while cultural interaction is an important mission of the World Expositions. In the new era, Expo 2010 Shanghai China will contribute to human-centred development, scientific and technological innovation, cultural diversity and win-win cooperation for a better future, thus composing a melody with the key notes of highlighting innovation and interaction in the new century.
Expo 2010 Shanghai China will also be a grand international gathering. On the one hand, we shall endeavour to attract about 200 nations and international organisations to take part in the exhibition as well as 70 million visitors from home and abroad, ensuring the widest possible participation in the history of the World Expositions. On the other hand, we will put Expo 2010 Shanghai China in a global perspective and do our best to encourage the participation and gain the understanding and support of various countries and peoples, in order to turn Expo 2010 Shanghai China into a happy reunion of people from all over the world.
In addition, Expo 2010 Shanghai China will offer a wonderful opportunity for cross-culture dialogues. Before the conclusion of the Exposition, a "Shanghai Declaration" will be issued. This declaration, hopefully a milestone in the history of the World Expositions, will epitomise the insights to be offered by the participants and embody people's ideas for future cooperation and development and extensive common aspirations, thereby leaving a rich spiritual legacy of urban development to people throughout the world.
The Chinese Government will go to great lengths to make Expo 2010 Shanghai China a special event that carries on traditions and opens a new vista into the future. Our motto is: "Keeping in mind the next 60 years' development while preparing for the six months' Exposition." We count on the continuing attention, support and participation of all the peace-loving countries.

The emblem of World Expo 2010 Shanghai
An emblem is a visual symbol reflecting concept. The emblem of World Expo 2010, depicting the image of three people-you, me, him/her holding hands together, symbolizes the big family of mankind. Inspired by the shape of the Chinese character 涓 (meaning the world), the design conveys the organizer's wish to host an Expo which is of global scale and which showcases the diversified urban cultures of the world.

Mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai

Like the mascots for huge worldwide events such as Olympics and World Cup, the mascot of World Expo is very important for interpreting the theme and expressing the culture. The emblems and images of past World Expos have turned into the unique intangible legacy. The World Expo mascots have not only become the representatives of Expo images, but also embody the culture and spirit of hosting countries and cities.
Mascot, as the symbol featuring the hosting country, will embody the history, development, culture, concept and social background of the country and will play an important role in the communication in political, economical and cultural fields.
The mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is trying to accomplish the following functions:
1. To embody the culture of the hosting country
World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is a global event that is hosted by China and undertaken by the city of Shanghai. It is the first time that a developing country will host a registered World Expo. The design of Shanghai Expo mascot must have Chinese cultural characters, state the Chinese cultural sprit and manifest that Shanghai Expo is a platform for worldwide cultural exchange. Meanwhile, the design must accord with Chinese laws and social conventions.
2. To interpret the theme "Better City, Better Life"
The mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai China should become the unique visual logo of theme development and should be different from the existing mascot images of previous World Expos and international events in theme manifestation and designing.
The image of mascot should well express the theme of Shanghai Expo "Better City, Better Life" by using innovative ideas, impressive appearance and motions to state its concept and characters. By exploring the relationship among cities, urban dwellers and planet, the mascot must express the inner relation between heritage and future. The designing concept should be clear and unique, which coincide with the theme and easy for the public to undertand.
3. To have the value of re-creation
The mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai China should meet the principle of "good looking, easy to understand, easy to remember and easy to use." It should also be suitable for the creation of licensed products, including stationeries, garment, souvenirs and jewelries. The mascot should be easy to be re-created in graphic, solid or electronic media.
Origin of the mascot's name
The name of the mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is Hai Bao, which means the treasure of the sea. The name of Hai Bao is easy to remember, echoes with the color of its body and is a typical lucky name in Chinese tradition.
Hai Bao is the good well ambassador of Shanghai Expo. He is embracing friends from all over the world with his arms and confident smile.
Haibao's main character
Created from the Chinese character "浜" which means people, the mascot embodies the character of Chinese culture and echoes with the designing concept of the emblem of World Expo Shanghai. Using the Chinese character as the mascot of an international event is an innovation.
Hair: the hair of the mascot is like the wave of the sea, which represents its open character and stated the character of its birth place Shanghai.
Face: its cartoon expression shows its confidence and friendly character.
Eye: big, round eyes show his anticipation of the city.
Blue: the color shows its latitude and imagination, which represents the rising and potential China.
Body: its round body represents a well-off life, which is also lovely and cute.
Fist: he thumbs up to show the appreciation and warm welcome to the friends from all over the world.
Big feet: he stands steadily on the big feet and embraces the world with big arms, which shows China have the ability and faith to host a successful Expo.
The structure of Chinese character , in which two strokes support each other, manifests the concept that a good life should be created by all the people. The world should be supported by "people," and people should have harmonious relationships with nature and society, so that the life in cities would be better.
The mascot will surly become the lucky symbol and cultural remark of Shanghai Expo.

Theme of World Expo 2010 Shanghai
The city is a crystallisation of human civilisation. Just as the American social philosopher Lewis Mumford put it,"the city is a special structure which, fine and compact, has been designed to preserve the fruits of human civilisation."Many Western languages have derived their versions of the term "civilisation" from the same Latin word"civitas"(meaning "city"), and it is by no means a coincidence. By virtue of its embracing and regenerating nature, the city has played a significant role in the perfection of order in human society.
In 1800, only 2 percent of the global population lived in cities, but by 1950, the figure had risen to 29 percent, and by 2000, almost half the world population had moved into cities. The United Nations estimates the urban population will account for 55 percent of the total human population by 2010. Despite all its glories, there is no denying that the city today, because of high-density living patterns, faces a series of challenges, such as spatial conflicts, cultural collisions, resource shortages and environment degeneration. Without effective controls, the unchecked expansion of cities will aggravate these problems and consequently erode the quality of urban life.
As the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements, issued at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) reaffirms,"Our cities must be places where human beings lead fulfilling lives in dignity, good health, safety, happiness and hope." All the problems facing the city, including congestion, pollution, crime and conflict, are believed to have originated from the discords between man and nature, between man and man, and between spiritual and material aspects of life. It is also maintained that such discord, if left unattended, will inevitably lead to the decline of the quality of life in cities and even the degeneration of human civilisation.
It is in the face of such discord that Expo 2010 Shanghai China proposes the concept of a "City of Harmony" responding to the appeal for "Better City, Better Life."
Harmony was a core proposition of ancient Chinese philosophy, which advocated harmony between people, between man and heaven, and between body and soul. It is also the ideal of some ancient Western philosophers. Over past centuries, human beings have never stopped their search for models of harmonious cities. A series of theories, propositions and models, from More's Utopia to Ledoux's Ideal City to Howard's Garden City, all strive for balance and harmony in terms of space, order, and spiritual and material input and output. Since the 1980s, the concept of sustainable development has risen as a fundamental solution to environmental and development issues. Governments around the world, in their local versions of Agenda 21 (a Chinese Government programme designed to ensure sustainable development in the 21st century), have formulated development strategies that more or less centre on the proposition of "harmony," especially that between the current and future generations. It can be clearly seen that the quest for the "City of Harmony" as run through the urban history of mankind, and has increasingly become a highlight in the blueprint of future cities.
The "City of Harmony" features harmonious co-existence of diverse cultures, harmonious economic development, harmonious living.
The city is a crystallisation of human civilisation. Just as the American social philosopher Lewis Mumford put it,"the city is a special structure which, fine and compact, has been designed to preserve the fruits of human civilisation." Many Western languages have derived their versions of the term "civilisation"from the same Latin word "civitas"(meaning"city"), and it is by no means a coincidence. By virtue of its embracing and regenerating nature, the city has played a significant role in the perfection of order in human society.

In 1800, only 2 percent of the global population lived in cities, but by 1950, the figure had risen to 29 percent, and by 2000, almost half the world population had moved into cities. The United Nations estimates the urban population will account for 55 percent of the total human population by 2010. Despite all its glories, there is no denying that the city today, because of high-density living patterns, faces a series of challenges, such as spatial conflicts, cultural collisions, resource shortages and environment degeneration. Without effective controls, the unchecked expansion of cities will aggravate these problems and consequently erode the quality of urban life.
As the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements, issued at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) reaffirms,"Our cities must be places where human beings lead fulfilling lives in dignity, good health, safety, happiness and hope." All the problems facing the city, including congestion, pollution, crime and conflict, are believed to have originated from the discords between man and nature, between man and man, and between spiritual and material aspects of life. It is also maintained that such discord, if left unattended, will inevitably lead to the decline of the quality of life in cities and even the degeneration of human civilisation.
It is in the face of such discord that Expo 2010 Shanghai China proposes the concept of a "City of Harmony" responding to the appeal for "Better City, Better Life."
Harmony was a core proposition of ancient Chinese philosophy, which advocated harmony between people, between man and heaven, and between body and soul. It is also the ideal of some ancient Western philosophers. Over past centuries, human beings have never stopped their search for models of harmonious cities. A series of theories, propositions and models, from More's Utopia to Ledoux's Ideal City to Howard's Garden City, all strive for balance and harmony in terms of space, order, and spiritual and material input and output. Since the 1980s, the concept of sustainable development has risen as a fundamental solution to environmental and development issues. Governments around the world, in their local versions of Agenda 21 (a Chinese Government programme designed to ensure sustainable development in the 21st century), have formulated development strategies that more or less centre on the proposition of??harmony,??especially that between the current and future generations. It can be clearly seen that the quest for the??City of Harmony??has run through the urban history of mankind, and has increasingly become a highlight in the blueprint of future cities.
The"City of Harmony"features harmonious co-existence of diverse cultures, harmonious economic development, harmonious living in the age of science and technology, harmonious functioning of communities, the cells of the city, and harmonious interactions between urban and rural areas.