The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia submitted today a letter of candidature to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to organise World Expo 2030 in Riyadh.

　　The letter, from Crown Prince HRH Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, was handed to the Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, by the CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), Fahd Al Rasheed, and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to France, Fahad Al Ruwaily.

　　The Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Dimitri S. Kerkentzes (centre), the the CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), Fahd Al Rasheed (right) and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to France, Fahad Al Ruwaily (left)

　　Saudi Arabia’s candidature is based on the theme “The Era of Change: Leading the Planet to a Foresighted Tomorrow”, and if successful, the Expo would take place in the city of Riyadh between 1 October 2030 and 1 April 2031.

　　The six-month candidature phase for World Expo 2030 was launched on 29 April 2021 when the Russian Federation notified the BIE of its candidature for Moscow. This was followed by the Republic of Korea’s candidature for Busan on 23 June 2021, Italy’s candidature for Rome on 7 October 2021, and Ukraine’s candidature for Odesa on 15 October 2021. The BIE will close the candidate list on 29 October 2021 at 5pm CET.

　　Once the list is closed, the project examination phase of the candidature process will be launched, during which each candidate will submit a detailed candidature dossier. The BIE will then organise Enquiry Missions and assess the feasibility and viability of each candidature project. The host country of World Expo 2030 will then be elected by BIE Member States gathered in a General Assembly, on the principle of one country, one vote.

　　The Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes stated:“The BIE is pleased to receive this letter of candidature from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the fifth country to seek the organisation of World Expo 2030. The strong interest in hosting World Expo 2030 attests to the global desire to re-connect with each other and to build a future that is more sustainable by fostering innovation and cooperation.”

　　The Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Dimitri S. Kerkentzes (left), receives the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s letter of candidature for World Expo 2030

　　Saudi Arabia’s first World Expo participation was at Expo 1958 in Brussels and it has actively participated in World and Specialised Expos ever since. It was rewarded with a Silver Award for pavilion design at Specialised Expo 2008 Zaragoza, as well as a Gold Award at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

　　World Expos, officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, are global gatherings of nations addressing universal challenges of our time. These unparalleled global events offer a journey inside a chosen theme through engaging and immersive activities. Taking place every five years and lasting up to six months, World Expos welcome tens of millions of visitors, allow countries to build extraordinary pavilions, and transform the host city for years to come.

　　World Expo 2020, taking place in Dubai (UAE) under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, opened on 1 October 2021 and will close on 31 March 2022. The next World Expo will take place in Osaka, Kansai (Japan) under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” between 13 April and 13 October 2025.