![]() ![]() The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), which is the overarching authority responsible for the City of Riyadh and is chaired by the Crown Prince, will lead the Saudi bid for the World Expo 2030. The theme proposed by Saudi Arabia is “The era of change: Leading the planet to a foresighted tomorrow," local media reported. The letter was delivered in Paris to Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), by Fahd Al-Rasheed, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.Įxpo 2030 will take place from Octoto April 1, 2031. The Crown Prince also said that “the World Expo 2030 will represent an extraordinary opportunity to share with the world our lessons from this unprecedented transformation.” "By providing a global platform to a regime with a history of violating basic human rights and curbing freedoms, the international community risks sending a tacit message that such actions are acceptable," it said.The Saudi Vision 2030 is a strategic framework to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism and was launched by the Crown Prince in 2016. Groups including MENA Rights Group, Freedom House and Paris-based NGO Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) last week wrote an open letter urging against choosing Riyadh "given its appalling human rights situation". The Riyadh Expo is set to take place from October 2030 to March 2031 on the theme "The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow".īut many rights groups had expressed dismay over Saudi Arabia winning the bid, arguing MBS's glitzy reform drives hide a reality where dissidents are imprisoned and executions rampant.Ĭoncern over Saudi's rights record under MBS has always been symbolised by the 2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. "Riyadh is an amazing city and ready to welcome all of you." 'History of rights violations' Needing only one round of voting and securing the necessary two-thirds majority of member states at the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) organisers, Riyadh won 119 votes, South Korea's Busan 29 and Italian capital Rome 17, the BIE said.Īll sides sought to sprinkle some stardust, with South Korea bringing former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon to back its bid and Italy Davis Cup-winning tennis star Jannik Sinner by video.įor Saudi, football star Cristiano Ronaldo who now plays for Riyadh side Al-Nassr, popped up with a video message. The kingdom is set to host the 2034 football World Cup after emerging as the only bidder for the event and is already welcoming a host of motor-racing, golf and combat sports events. "Saudi Arabia has become an ideal destination for hosting major international events". The selection of the country "underlines its influential and leading role, and the international confidence it enjoys," the official Saudi press agency quoted the prince as saying. The date of 2030 is also hugely symbolic as it coincides with the key milestone in the Vision 2030 programme of MBS to diversify Saudi Arabia economically and also culturally. Hosting the Expo is of immense importance for Saudi Arabia whose bid has been spearheaded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, as he seeks to secure the world's top events to showcase the kingdom across the globe. The World Expo - which traces its history back to the 1851 Great Exhibition in London and the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris that saw the construction of the Eiffel Tower - is a months-long showcase event attracting millions of visitors that aims to respond to the specific challenges of the current time. With a pledge for an Expo "built by the world for the world", Saudi's bid smashed the opposition after a years-long lobbying campaign whose intensity caused some gnashing of teeth among its Italian rivals.
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