Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, secured the honor of hosting the 2030 World Expo, outshining contenders Rome and Busan in a bid centered on shaping a prosperous and sustainable future. The decision was announced on Tuesday, November 28, by the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions after a closed-door meeting in the suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux. Riyadh secured a majority with 119 out of 165 votes.
رسميًّا: المملكة العربية السعودية وعاصمتها الرياض وجهة العالم في معرض إكسبو 2030 🇸🇦#الرياض_اختيار_العالم#الرياض_إكسبو2030 pic.twitter.com/YvxBapZHCR
— Riyadh Expo 2030 الرياض إكسبو (@Riyadh_Expo2030) November 28, 2023
The Saudi delegation jubilantly received the news with cheers as Riyadh emerged victorious in the bid to host an event expected to attract millions of visitors from around the globe. In the competitive race, Busan garnered 29 votes, while Rome trailed with 17.
رسميًّا: المملكة العربية السعودية وعاصمتها الرياض وجهة العالم في معرض إكسبو 2030 🇸🇦#الرياض_اختيار_العالم#الرياض_إكسبو2030 pic.twitter.com/YvxBapZHCR
— Riyadh Expo 2030 الرياض إكسبو (@Riyadh_Expo2030) November 28, 2023
Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, expressed gratitude for the international community’s trust in the kingdom’s vision for the future.
He described the vote as an “expression of the trust that the international community has in what we have to offer” and emphasized the alignment between the Expo’s goals and Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision.
“We are committed to living up to the expectations and delivering an extraordinary expo,” Prince Faisal affirmed.
The latest World Expo, Expo 2020 Dubai, drew more than 24 million visitors with the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”
The forthcoming Expo, Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, is slated to take place from April 13 to October 13, 2025, centered around the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”
