The BIE and World Expos

BIE - Bureau International des Expositions

Expo 2015 - Masterplan

The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) is the international governing body responsible for overseeing and regulating the calendar, the bidding, the selection and the organization of World and International Expos. The BIE is an international intergovernmental organization established in Paris in 1928 by the Convention relating to International Exhibitions which provides the definition and the objectives of Expos, as well as the international rules for organization and participation. To this end, the BIE fulfills three critical tasks to ensure:

  1. the correct application of the Convention and of all relevant regulations relating to Expos;
  2. the transfer of knowledge and best practices between an Expo and another;
  3. the development of the Expo framework and principles to ensure that these events remain relevant with the changing times.

The main bodies of the BIE include: the General Assembly which is the main deliberative organ of the organization and is composed of representatives of all Member States; the BIE Committees (Executive, Budget and Administration, Rules and Information and Communication) which prepare the proposals, rules and policies in their respective functional areas to be submitted to the General Assembly; the Secretariat which, under the authority of the Secretary General, carries out the day-to-day work of the Organization, provides support and advice to organizers and participants, and services the above bodies of the organization.

Membership to the BIE is open to any Country member of the United Nations or of one of its agencies, of the International Court of Justice or whose application is approved by the two-thirds majority of the BIE General Assembly. Today, 160 countries are members of the BIE.

WORLD EXPOS

"An exhibition is a display which, whatever its title, has as its principal purpose the education of the public: it may exhibit the means at man’s disposal for meeting the needs of civilization, or demonstrate the progress achieved in one or more branches of human endeavour, or show prospects for the future."

Art. 1, Convention relating to International Exhibitions

World Expos are the largest and broadest of mega-events. They are powerful instruments of urban regeneration bringing significant benefits to the city in many areas: infrastructure development, economic, social, cultural, etc.

Two key characteristics make them place-making events of a unique kind: they exist and communicate through the medium of buildings, objects and displays; they are theme-based and therefore bring new content and new meanings to a place through visions, solutions and practices that are brought together to create an educational experience for millions of visitors.

The BIE recognizes three types of Expos, which differ in terms of size, forms of participation and thematic aspect:

  • World Expos (or “International Registered Exhibitions”): They take place every 5 years and have a duration of 6 months.  Participants build their own pavilions and the size of the site is unlimited;
  • International Expos (or “International Recognized Exhibitions”): They are held between two World Expos and their duration is three months. The organizers build all the pavilions and rent them to participants, and the size of the site is 25 hectares maximum;
  • Horticultural Expos: They follow the rules of International Expos. The theme is purely horticultural and participation takes the form of a garden presentation.

These Expos have in common the types of participants, which include nations, international organizations, NGOs, corporations, civil society organizations, etc., as well as the core values of education, innovation and cooperation stated in art. 1 of the BIE Convention. As such each Expo allows to create a platform for an international dialogue between citizens, states and institutions around a topical theme of universal interest; provides a laboratory for future experimentation for new ideas, concepts and innovations; help strengthen international relations on many dimensions: economic, cultural, political, scientific, educational, etc. 

Since 1994, Expos have also been declared by the BIE General Assembly as key instruments for education for sustainable development.