Latest news with #WorldFair
The Province
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Michael Geller: Expo 2025 in Osaka opens window on promising future
World Fair shines light on human wellness, social inclusion and global connectedness The most striking feature of the 2025 Expo site in Osaka, Japan is a multi-storey 'grand ring,' approximately two kilometres in circumference, constructed from mass timber. Photo by Michael Geller Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. What do an elevator, sewing machine, typewriter, telephone, dishwasher and mobile phone have in common? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors They were all introduced to the public at International Expositions. Industrialist Elisha Otis first demonstrated his elevator to the public at the 1854 Crystal Palace Exhibition in New York City. He famously cut the hoisting rope of the elevator platform to display its safety brake, which prevented it from falling. The home sewing machine was first displayed at the Paris Exposition in 1855. The typewriter and Alexander Graham Bell's telephone were first publicly displayed at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. The dishwasher, as we know it, was first displayed at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Fifty-five years ago, visitors to Expo 1970 Osaka were delighted to discover 'Dream Telephones' at the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) pavilion. Today we know them as mobile phones. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The first world exposition I attended was Montreal's Expo 67, which featured a monorail passing through Buckminster Fuller's geodesic dome and Moshe Safdie's Habitat 67, comprised of stacked prefabricated concrete housing modules. Like most Vancouverites, I have vivid memories of Expo 86. Although it was not a formally designated World Exposition, it celebrated Vancouver's Centennial. We were encouraged to invite the world, and the world came. More than 22 million attended the fair. Expo 86 gave us Canada Place, B.C. Place Stadium, SkyTrain, and established Vancouver as a global destination. Following 1986, Metro Vancouver's annual population growth doubled from 1.5 per cent to three per cent. Whether it was for better or worse depends on who you talk to. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Visitors to the Canada Pavilion are handed augmented reality tablets and experience interactive exhibits that transform white interior icebergs into scenes from across Canada. Photo by Michael Geller Since Expo 86, World Fairs have fascinated me since they offer a glimpse into the future. I have been fortunate to attend expositions in Lisbon, Shanghai, Yeosu, Dubai, and Astana. Recently, I spent a week at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Osaka's second world exposition opened on April 13 and occupies a 155-hectare site on a new man-made island, connected to the city by a new subway line extension. One hundred fifty-eight countries and regions, plus seven international organizations, are participating at this Expo. One notable absentee is Russia. Every World Fair has a theme, and Expo 2025's is 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives.' There are three sub-themes: Saving Lives, Empowering Lives and Connecting Lives. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. These sub-themes are intended to address aspects of human well-being, social inclusion and global interconnectedness. The most striking feature of the Expo site is an impressive, multi-storey 'grand ring,' approximately two kilometres in circumference, constructed from mass timber. All the national pavilions are located within the ring to symbolize the need for international co-operation. Some of the most popular and talked-about pavilions at Expo 2025 include the Japan Pavilion, Better Co-Being Pavilion, Future of Life Pavilion and Canada Pavilion. The Japan Pavilion highlights Japan's vision for a sustainable future. Its circular structure is designed to symbolize the cycle of life. Japanese initiatives and innovative technologies are showcased throughout the pavilion, including a biogas plant that utilizes food waste and carbon recycling technologies to promote sustainable practices. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Better Co-Being Pavilion offers a speculative look at our future shaped by technological co-evolution. Located within the Forest of Tranquility, it embodies the transformation from a world focused on economic growth to one that places greater emphasis on the environment, health, human rights and education. The Future of Life Pavilion focuses on human-robot coexistence and the potential for technologies, especially robotics and AI, to enhance and expand human life. The pavilion gives visitors the opportunity to encounter androids, robots, computer-generated characters and other avatars created with the latest technologies. Upon first view, the Canada Pavilion's white, geometric forms reinforce the overused cliché of Canada as the Great White North. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. I was fortunate to have a chance encounter with Laurie Peters, commissioner-general for the pavilion, who was outside on the plaza during a false fire alarm. She told me the theme is not at all the Great White North. Rather, it is Regeneration. Visitors will not read about this since words are not used anywhere in the pavilion. Instead, they are handed augmented reality tablets and experience interactive exhibits that transform white interior icebergs into scenes from across Canada. After a week at the exposition, I became somewhat overwhelmed by all the technology. However, one of my favourite pavilions was the NTT pavilion, where the mobile phone was first showcased 55 years ago. NTT's 2025 pavilion is divided into three zones, each offering a unique interactive experience. Themed 'Parallel Travel,' the pavilion showcases how the future of communication will transcend physical distances and merge distant spaces into one shared reality. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The first zone offers a 180-degree audiovisual journey through the history of communication. You are then led into a 3D experience connecting the 1970 and 2025 expositions through holographic performances. The pavilion concludes with a 'time experiment' where visitors' distorted portraits are displayed on a 360-degree screen. You soon realize that the younger visitors are made to look older, and the older visitors appear much younger. In my case, while all my wrinkles disappeared, I still had a bald head. In addition to all the robots and androids, my favourite technological innovation at Expo was a Japanese toilet that can provide the user with regular health reports. This innovative toilet, developed by Toto, scans your stool to identify potential issues. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Expo 2025 will continue until Oct. 13, 2025. Unfortunately, there are often long lineups at most of the popular pavilions, so it is advisable to make reservations. Details on how to make reservations can be found on the website. If you do attend Expo and there is a lengthy line at the Canadian pavilion, mention to a staff member that you are Canadian, and you will likely be directed to the fast-pass lane and get in immediately. Although Osaka may seem like a long way away, I highly recommend a visit to Expo 2025. You will get a glimpse of the future and it is much more promising than you might expect. Michael Geller FCIP, RPP, MLAI, Ret. Architect AIBC is a Vancouver-based planner and real estate consultant. He also serves on SFU's adjunct faculty. You can reach him at geller@ and find more information and images of Expo 2025 on his blog Read More Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Canucks News Celebrity Vancouver Whitecaps
Arab News
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Organizers of Expo 2020 Dubai open World Fair US
CHICAGO: The organizers of Expo 2020 Dubai launched a three-week World Fair US in Chicago this week, saying it offers the same high-level experience of culture, food, entertainment and traditions from around the world. Omar Al-Taha, CEO of ElectroMed Group — which supervised the construction of Expo 2020 Dubai — told Arab News that the fair in Chicago will be the first in a series of events planned for cities across the US. He said the opening on Monday, at the SeatGeek Stadium and Fairgrounds in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, Illinois, was 'well attended,' and the fair will continue until July 28. 'We're featuring six pavilions representing the cultures, food and entertainment from countries in … Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and South America,' he added. 'The vendors have been selected for their authenticity, quality, and their passion for sharing their culture through cuisine.' Al-Taha said he used the same criteria in Bridgeview as for Expo 2020 Dubai, adding: 'World Fair US is about more than just a celebration — it's about connections and experience. We wanted to create a space where people of every background can come together, learn from each other, and just enjoy the beauty of being human. 'In the Middle East pavilion, for example, participants will be able to not only enjoy Arab food and entertainment, but also products and crafts presented by dozens of vendors.' SeatGeek Stadium, which can accommodate 28,000 visitors, hosts professional sports competitions, concert performances and fairs. 'We believe we can use this event to create an even larger ongoing event. We want to do this in different states around the country,' Al-Taha said. 'Chicago was our first choice … because it's the land of many cultures. We didn't need to bring vendors from outside ... Chicago has so many cultures and great diversity. This is the right place to start this.' The World Fair US food court features local chefs and small businesses offering traditional dishes from across the globe, Al-Taha said. 'Every pavilion tells a story, and every guest becomes part of it. Whether you're eating something new for the first time, dancing to a rhythm you've never heard, or just watching your kids' eyes light up — we built this for you,' he added. There is a fireworks display every Friday and Saturday night.
Yomiuri Shimbun
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
From UFC Fights to State Fairs, Trump Unveils Plans for Nation's 250th
DES MOINES – He was a teenager when the World's Fair came to his native Queens in 1964. As an adult, he built a casino along the Atlantic City boardwalk called Trump's World Fair. And as a candidate, he flew in a helicopter over the Iowa State Fair and took a bite from a pork chop on a stick. Now, as president, Donald Trump is trying to create the carnival-like atmosphere of state and world's fairs to showcase next year's celebration of the nation's 250th birthday. Trump on Thursday returned to the Iowa State Fairgrounds, a place that had little to do with the founding of the nation but one that has played a role in his political biography, to launch a year-long festival that will culminate on July 4, 2026. The centerpiece of that birthday celebration will be 'the Great American State Fair,' which Trump pitched to the crowd as 'an enormous year long nationwide celebration of our heritage.' 'We will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's founding with a birthday party, the likes of which you have never seen before,' he said. The effort, he said, is going to include a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House that will be overseen by Dana White, the chief executive of UFC and a longtime Trump supporter. 'We have a lot of land there,' Trump said. 'We're going to have a UFC fight – championship fight, full fight, like 20,000, 25,000 people. . . . The UFC fight is going to be a big deal.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed he was serious about the proposal. Trump also said that he would host nationally televised athletic competitions showcasing high school students from each state in an event he's calling the 'Patriot Games.' That effort, he said, will be overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ('He's great,' Trump said. 'And he's a little different, right?') Much of his campaign rally-style, hourlong speech was spent touting the signature legislation that passed earlier in the day, a bill that he is planning to sign at the White House on Friday afternoon ahead of Independence Day fireworks. 'There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago when Congress passed the one Big Beautiful Bill,' he said. At one point while describing the bill he used a term many consider to be an antisemitic slur while referencing unscrupulous bankers. 'No death tax. No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker – and in some cases, shylocks and bad people,' he said. Joe Biden in 2014 also used the term during a speech, later apologizing for it. The semiquincentennial celebrations will give the showman president a powerful platform from which to project his vision of U.S. strength and history onto the world. But at a moment when the country is deeply divided along partisan lines, the plans are also likely to spur vigorous debate over how to tell the story of the nation's history – and who should be the narrator. From the Oval Office, Trump has sought to reframe how American history is told, renaming federal monuments and creating displays that advance his vision of the country. He has denounced a full telling of that history, one that includes the country's flaws, as unpatriotic – stoking deep tensions about race and identity throughout his political career. Trump in March signed an executive order titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' which claimed to address the ways his political opponents 'undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.' His administration has sought to minimize leaders and events that do not square with his ideology, stripping the name of gay rights leader Harvey Milk from a Navy ship and restoring the last names of Confederate generals to Army installations. In his remarks on Thursday, he touted his policies against transgender Americans, about making English the official language of the United States, and called those who pushed to rename military bases that previously honored Confederates 'radical left lunatics.' 'In everything we do, we're once again defending the values, traditions and beliefs that made every generation before us so very proud to be American,' he said. Trump originally conceived of the fair as an event on the Iowa State Fairgrounds that would bring 'millions and millions of visitors from around the world to the heartland of America for this special, one-time festival.' But the event has evolved into a more sprawling celebration beyond the pavilions of Des Moines with a grand title: 'A New Era of American Greatness.' Now, the America 250 Commission will host a two-week fair on the National Mall next year around July 4, including food vendors and exhibits from all 50 states, according the White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private plans. The 'Great American State Fair' will also travel around the country to state and county fairs over the next year. Trump has said he wants the fair to 'promote pride in American history,' and expanded on plans in his speech. 'The Great American State Fair will bring America 250 programing to fairgrounds across the country, culminating in a giant patriotic festival next summer on the National Mall, featuring exhibits from all 50 states,' he said. He also said that he would celebrate the 250th anniversaries of the Navy and the Marines, just as he recently did for the Army. He again touted a rise in military recruitment numbers and the performance of troops who had recently executed a strike on Iran's nuclear capabilities, promoting his decision to authorize strikes on Iran and defending its results. The career entertainer, who often attends NASCAR races and UFC bouts, has long had a love of fairs and the rollicking and unpredictable settings they can provide. In 1996, he opened the Trump World's Fair Casino at an event that included strolling performers, jugglers, stilt walkers and high school marching bands – along with a fireworks and laser light display choreographed to music. It featured artifacts from and murals of past U.S. World's Fairs and included a 3,000-pound stainless steel sphere similar to the 'Unisphere' from the World's Fair held in 1964-1965 in Flushing Meadows. The biggest mural, however, rose over an escalator and was of Trump himself, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'We've been looking forward to this day for a long time,' Trump said when it opened. 'Trump World's Fair is an exciting destination, uniquely designed around the World's Fair theme, that we know will be well-received.' About three years later, it closed. It was losing some $10 million per year. Falling glass panes had forced closures of businesses below. Eventually, it was demolished. Trump also installed a 'Unisphere' look-alike at the Trump International Hotel and Tower on Columbus Circle in Manhattan. City officials objected when he adorned the structure with 'Trump International' in big letters. 'Well, do you know originally they wanted to tear down the Eiffel Tower?' he said during a 2008 appearance with shock jock Howard Stern. 'Do you know the Eiffel Tower was built just during the World Fair?' One of Trump's most significant experiences with a fair came when he was an early presidential candidate in 2015. He arrived at one known for its deep-fried foods, presidential candidates speaking from bales of hay and a life-size cow carved from 600 pounds of butter. Trump made his appearance that year from a black helicopter emblazoned with bold letters spelling T-R-U-M-P, circling several times before landing. Hillary Clinton was strolling below him, posing for selfies. Trump emerged wearing his signature red cap along with white dress shoes and French cuffs. He offered rides in his helicopter to randomly selected handfuls of Iowa children. When Trump won a second term last year, Iowa's leaders responded, ready to execute his vision of a fair. 'We know the Iowa State Fair is the best fair in the country!' Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds wrote on X on Nov. 7, two days after the election. 'In Iowa, we dream big, and we stand ready to host the Great American State Fair!' Iowa state lawmakers in May approved legislation to allow state residents to set off fireworks around Independence Day and New Year's Eve, an effort to align it with the festive atmosphere Trump is seeking for next year's celebrations. During the debate, opponents questioned why the state was changing its laws to appease the president, while others pointed to firework displays dating to the nation's founding. 'Mr. President, we welcome that idea in Iowa, and we're ready, willing and able to host the party,' state Rep. Bill Gustoff said during debate on the measure. 'We need to enable Iowans to be part of that celebration.' At one point during his remarks, a bang occurred in the distance. 'Don't worry, it's only fireworks. I hope,' said Trump, who survived an assassination attempt a year ago this month. 'Famous last words. My famous last words. 'Trump said, 'Don't worry, it's only fireworks.' You always have to think positive.'
Al Arabiya
19-06-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Saudi PIF launches new company to run Expo 2030
Saudi Arabia's $925 billion sovereign wealth fund PIF said on Thursday it had launched a new unit that will be responsible to build and operate the facilities for the Expo 2030 world fair. The company will be called Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, PIF said in a statement to Reuters, adding that the masterplan for the project covered an area of 6 million square meters to the north of the city. Expo 2030 Riyadh is projected to attract more than 40 million visits and, once operational, it is expected to contribute around $5.6 billion to Saudi Arabia's GDP, PIF said.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘I had one beer': New York man arrested after fiery boat crash injured 23
(WJW) – A New York man faces charges after a fiery boat crash in the Bronx left nearly two dozen people injured over the weekend. According to the New York City Fire Department, rescuers responded to a boat fire in the Long Island Sound around 8 p.m. Saturday evening after reports that multiple people were in the water. When they arrived, as seen in photos from the scene, firefighters found flames shooting up and black smoke billowing from the vessel. Investigators determining next steps after 2 cars found in Lake Glacier One of the department's marine units pulled a few people out of the water. Fire officials said 19 others swam to Hart Island, where they were picked up by the New York Police Department Coast Guard and fire department boats. The New York City Police Department told FOX 8 News that 23 people were taken to nearby hospitals. One patient suffered serious injuries and 22 others suffered minor injuries. As reported by People, a criminal complaint alleged that the boat captain, identified as 33-year-old Joshua Brito, had 'watery eyes' and 'a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage' coming from his breath. Military memorial vandalized in Ashland: police According to the complaint, Brito admitted to picking up the passengers from World Fair and that he allegedly had problems with the yacht a couple days earlier, People reported. 'I had one beer,' Brito allegedly told New York police. Brito was arrested on several charges, including reckless endangerment and driving while intoxicated, a police spokesperson confirmed. The boat fire remains under investigation by the NYPD and the U.S. Coast Guard. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
