South Pacific nations to showcase island beauty

By Hu Min  |   2008-6-9  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

TWELVE countries and two international organizations from Oceania will build an 8,100-square-meter joint pavilion at World Expo 2010.

The South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) signed a participation contract with Expo organizers last Tuesday on behalf of the Pacific block in Suva, the capital of Fiji.

A total of 42 countries and international organizations have signed participation contracts.

The Oceania Pavilion will showcase the beauty of the Pacific Ocean nations, their unique culture and sustainable lifestyle through the theme "Pacific Ocean - Spring of Inspiration."

The island nations of Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Tonga, Micronesia, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands, as well as the Pacific Islands Forum, authorized the SPTO to organize and coordinate their Expo 2010 participation.

Zhou Hanmin, deputy director-general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, signed the contract on behalf of organizers, and noted that the joint pavilion would be a boost to relations between China and the Pacific nations.

Peter Vincent, board chairman of SPTO, said the joint effort underlined the unity of the island countries.

Last Wednesday, the United Republic of Tanzania also signed a participation contract with organizers. The east African country will take part in the exhibition of the 31,000-square-meter African joint pavilion to showcase their achievements in city planning, such as in its capital Dar es Salaam.

Also last week, Sri Lanka and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies signed World Expo 2010 contracts and unveiled their themes for the exhibition.

The Red Cross chose the theme "City Life, Humanity Without Borders" for its 500-square-meter lease pavilion. The Red Cross Society of China will be in charge of exhibition planning and preparation work.

Sri Lanka will choose five cities to display its development during its 3,000-year history, said Hubert Jayakody, commissioner general of Sri Lanka for Expo.