Remarks by Lorelei Liu, Director of the World Expo Museum at the Opening Ceremony of “Energizing the Future - Special Exhibition on Expo 2017 Astana”

　　Esteemed Chairman Mr. Hong Hao

　　Esteemed Secretary General Mr. Loscertales

　　Respected Director Yergeshbayev

　　Distinguished guests:

　　Good morning.

　　After one year’s preparation, the “Energizing the Future - Special Exhibition on Expo 2017 Astana” is opening today thanks to the gracious support of the BIE and our partners. At the outset, please allow me to extend my sincere gratitude to all the distinguished guests present here.

　　Expo 2017 Astana was a specialized Expo with “Future Energy” as its main theme held in Astana - the capital of Kazakhstan. The World Expo Museum actively participated in the Astana Expo in line with the “One Belt, One Road” initiative of China. Within three months, the WEM received about 420,000 visitors, exerting positive effects on popularizing the concept of the Expo and promoting the image of the BIE’s official museum. During the period, the participants actively supported the work of the WEM in collection, image recording and interview shooting and a total of 46 participants donated about 500 pieces of exhibits to the museum.

　　All these have formed the foundation on which we plan the exhibition to be presented today. Giving high priority to the “Future Energy” inspired by the Astana Expo, this exhibition highlights the previous moments of the Astana Expo through innovative exhibition forms in six exhibition areas to encourage visitors sharing their wisdom and experiences in energy development and sustainable development.

　　This exhibition boasts a few distinctive features. Firstly, it is the first partnership between the World Expo Museum and Expo organizer. We highly appreciate the concrete actions of “JSC National Company Astana Expo-2017” which have made this exhibition an official one.

　　Secondly, we selected some of the exhibits and film & television works donated by the participants for display as a publicity facility to the donors. In particular, I would like to express my hearty thanks to China International Nuclear Fusion Energy Program Execution Center for lending us the core exhibits of the “artificial solar nuclear fusion” of the Chinese Pavilion in Astana Expo 2017. This exhibit is a reflection of China’s participation in the international cooperation project titled “Artificial Sun under the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)”. It demonstrates the scientific and technological achievements China has made in the field of nuclear fusion.

　　Additionally, this exhibition is also the first partnership between the WEM and universities and professional associations. We are grateful to the students and faculties of Shanghai University and Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts for working with us in planning an interactive program titled “The Eye of the Future” in the exhibition. Over 50 graphic art designers from around the world have designed posters with “Energy” as their theme. In a later date, the WEM will sign a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. We will take the cooperation as the starting point to build a broader network of academic research and educational cooperation with an increasing number of international institutions and academics so as to combine the efforts of the museum and the academia institutions for complementary advantages.

　　Today we will also launch the publication of the picture album of "Future Energy - Expo 2017 Astana". As a new work to the series of books in BIE’s official documentation center, it will record the “ongoing history” of the Expo as its predecessors.

　　Dear guests, the " Energizing the Future - Special Exhibition on Expo 2017 Astana" is a successful result of multi-party cooperation, mutual learning and resource sharing. Looking into the future, the WEM wishes to continue to cooperate in an all-round way with Expo organizers and participants to jointly carry forward the spirit of the Expo and extend the Expo effect with an aim to create more opportunities and diversities for the future development of the Expo. Thank you for your attention.