This week, the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a new document "Another U.S. Deficit - China and America - Public Diplomacy in the Age of the Internet," which includes a great deal of information about United States participation in Expo 2010, the committee's call for a US Pavilion at Expo 2012, and support for re-joining the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to help a US bid for Expo 2020.
Here's the synopsis at the beginning of the document (page 12):
-----
Many Americans now view World Expos as antiquated affairs. The rest of the globe does not, and U.S. ambivalence towards participationunduly offends the host nations. Given that more than 7,000,000 Chinese visited the U.S. Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo in 2010, the lack of effort caused by unnecessary hesitation and delays on the part of the Obama Administration only squandered an unprecedented opportunity to put our best foot forward to an audience over 10 times the size of the number of Chinese who visit the United States in a single year. Although large crowds streamed in, many were disappointed by the low-tech and rather ordinary exhibits inside which failed to demonstrate American technological, scientific and commercial expertise. Those same mistakes should not be repeated in the lead up to the 2012 Expo in Korea. Given recent interest
by Texas and California in hosting the 2020 Expo, the U.S. should seek immediately to re-join the Bureau of International Expositions in order to bid for the 2020 Expo. Consideration should be given to repealing legislation limiting U.S. government involvement in Expos, an action that would give the private sector greater confidence in our efforts and lead to more coherent funding.
----
I'm glad to hear that Congress is looking into the issue of United States participation in world's fairs. Needless to say, I wholeheartedly support the US rejoining the BIE, our country's participation in Expo 2012, and the bids for Expo 2020.
I take a bit of an exception to the Obama Administration being blamed for US Pavilion delays, however, since it was under the Bush Administration that things had stalled. Later in the document, they do point out that it was Hillary Clinton's State Department that finally got the ball rolling.
I think this document brings us a few steps closer to rejoining the BIE, having a US Pavilion at Expo 2012 in Yeosu, and security government support for an Expo 2020 bid.
The full report can be downloaded at:
http://lugar.senate.gov/issues/foreign/diplomacy/ChinaInternet.pdf
-----
Since I wrote this shortly after receiving the document, I've had a chance to read more. As such, here's an addendum:
In the main body of the document, it does refer to Hillary Clinton's efforts to save the pavilion and recognizes the difficulty of continuity between the two administrations. That leads me to think the synopsis on page 12 (of the PDF... labeled page 6) blaming the Obama Administration could be a typo. Later, they refer to the Bush Administration's failure to have a US Pavilion at Hannover's Expo 2000. That's clearly a mistake since George W. Bush did not come into office until January 2001.
Showing posts with label Silicon Valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Silicon Valley. Show all posts
17 February 2011
13 February 2011
The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 24: Expo 2020 Silicon Valley Project Lead John Grubb
In episode 24, Urso Chappell and John McGregor talk to the Bay Area Council's John Grubb. He's the project lead for Expo 2020 Silicon Valley, an effort to bring a world's fair to Mountain View, California in 2020.
Expo 2020 would be held in Moffett Field in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Listen to this podcast as an MP3.
Subscribe to this podcast.
Bay Area Council
Listen to other episodes of the World's Fair Podcast.
07 October 2010
The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 18: The Return of a World's Fair in the United States
Will the United States once again host a world's fair in 2020? Episode 18 of the World's Fair Podcast features a panel discussion in St. Louis discussing what it would take for the United States to get back into the expo game. Panelists include event director Steve Heckler, legendary world's fair pavilion creator Barry Howard, and ExpoMuseum.com's Urso Chappell.
ExpoBids.com - with links to various news stories
Expo2020USA.com
Expo2020.us
LAExpo2020.org
2020WorldsFair.com
Listen to this podcast.
Subscribe to this podcast.
14 September 2010
The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 17: Who Will Host Expo 2020?
Episode 17 of the World's Fair Podcast is now up. Who will host Expo 2020? Urso and John talk about the various cities that might be bidding in 2011 or 2012 for the right to host the next large world's fair after Milan's Expo 2020.
ExpoBids.com - with links to various news stories
Expo2020USA.com
Expo2020.us
LAExpo2020.org
2020WorldsFair.com
Listen to this podcast.
Subscribe to this podcast.
12 September 2010
Artist Rendering of Expo 2020 at Moffett Field
Here is an artist rendering released today showing how Moffett Field would look as a world's fair in 2020.
...and a link to today's San Jose Mercury article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16044443
I have to say I'm really excited about the possibilities here. I like the ferry connection that would presumably link to San Francisco and Oakland... and wonder how the site could be linked up to the Caltrain Station across Highway 101. A temporary gondola ride over the freeway would be an interesting solution.
...and a link to today's San Jose Mercury article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16044443
I have to say I'm really excited about the possibilities here. I like the ferry connection that would presumably link to San Francisco and Oakland... and wonder how the site could be linked up to the Caltrain Station across Highway 101. A temporary gondola ride over the freeway would be an interesting solution.
11 September 2010
Moffett Field
It looks like Moffett Field is the proposed location for a Silicon Valley World's Fair in 2020.
It's a great choice if it is available. This site consists of at least 800 acres of federally-owned land. It's already home to NASA, a gigantic awe-inspiring hangar (that they've talked about turning into an air and space museum in the past), some university buildings, and it's right next to the Highway 101 corridor that runs between San Francisco and San José.
There's talk that it could become a new University of California campus after the exposition. That wouldn't be unprecedented. The University of Washington started out its life as the site of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition.
With all of the creativity and dynamism that is San Francisco and Silicon Valley, I think it would be an amazing event!
With Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Bay Area Council supporting it, it sounds like it would have the support of government officials (Democrats as well as Republicans) as well as local business. The only other factor is the general population. There will always be folks against any big plan, but I think the vast majority in the Bay Area will support it.
There's word that there will be a major announcement within the week. Let's hope we can find some money soon to support the bid.
It's a great choice if it is available. This site consists of at least 800 acres of federally-owned land. It's already home to NASA, a gigantic awe-inspiring hangar (that they've talked about turning into an air and space museum in the past), some university buildings, and it's right next to the Highway 101 corridor that runs between San Francisco and San José.
There's talk that it could become a new University of California campus after the exposition. That wouldn't be unprecedented. The University of Washington started out its life as the site of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition.
With all of the creativity and dynamism that is San Francisco and Silicon Valley, I think it would be an amazing event!
With Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Bay Area Council supporting it, it sounds like it would have the support of government officials (Democrats as well as Republicans) as well as local business. The only other factor is the general population. There will always be folks against any big plan, but I think the vast majority in the Bay Area will support it.
There's word that there will be a major announcement within the week. Let's hope we can find some money soon to support the bid.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
