F.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EXPO?

It is a non-commercial Universal Exposition (and therefore not a trade fair) organized by the nation which won the candidature competition and is attended by other nations which are invited through diplomatic channels of the hosting country. The first Expo was held in London in 1851 and its success encouraged other nations to organise similar events such as the Paris exhibition in 1889 for which the Eiffel Tower was built.

Each Expo has a theme of universal interest The Expo is held on a dedicated site, and is an opportunity for exchange and sharing; it is a unique experience for exhibitors and visitors as it provides insight into and innovative experimentation of the chosen theme.

The role of a Universal Exposition is more oriented towards interpreting the collective challenge to which mankind is called to provide answers, rather than towards exhibiting major technological innovations. The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) is the international organisation which decides the frequency and quality of the exhibitions and how they are organised.

The BIE was set up by an international convention signed in Paris in 1928 and currently counts some 160 member states.

When is the Expo (and how long will it last)?

The Milan Expo will start on 1st May 2015 and end on 31st October and consist of six months of performances, encounters, conventions and other events on a site which will be entirely dedicated to this extraordinary event.

Where will the Expo be held?

The Expo will be held on an area to the north-wet of Milan on some 1.7 million square metres and include part of the cities of Pero and Rho.

The master plan concept for the site was drafted by a group of five internationally-famous architects: Stefano Boeri, Richard Burdett, Jacques Herzog, Joan Busquets and William Mc Donough. The plans drawn up by these architects will make the 2015 EXPO a truly memorable one, as it will offer visitors a direct and immediate experience of the theme which is food.

This EXPO will embody the theme – Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life – without having to fall back on those systems of simulation and documentation which can be found nowadays on the screen of any computer. The exposition site will be an uncommon encounter between agriculture and the city and it will nourish Milan both literally and intellectually speaking thanks to the creation of a massive food-farming park built on a series of orthogonal grills which will be surrounded by water canals and punctuated by large landscaped architectural features.

What is the Milan EXPO going to talk about?

The Expo Milano 2015 will be an extraordinary universal event which will provide visibility for tradition, creativity and innovation in the field of nutrition, inspired by themes which have already been developed in earlier editions of the Expo and adapting them in the light of new global scenarios at the heart of which there is the right for the entire planet to have access to healthy, safe and sufficient food.

Food is the vital energy of our planet and is necessary for sustainable development based on correct and constant nourishment of the body, on the respect for fundamental practices of life for each human being, and on health.

Why is Milan organising an EXPO in 2015?

With the Expo in 2015 Milan intends putting itself at the service of Italy’s future growth and making itself Italy’s most important ambassador to the world. Milan, like London or Paris, is in the centre of an area of almost 10 million inhabitants.

It produces 10% of Italy’s GNP, which puts it almost on a par with Brussels or Madrid; it has a pro capita income which is almost double the Italian average and an unemployment level which is half the Italian average. It can boast 40% of innovative new patents, the annual production of Boston and sells 10 million tickets every year for art exhibitions, music and films putting it on a par, with an equal number of inhabitants, with Berlin, Amsterdam and Barcelona.

It has 650 fashions show rooms making it a competitor to Paris and New York, and it is the Italian capital of charity work and tertiary services. In European terms Milan’s entire metropolitan area is comparable to London or Paris. In fact the so-called Milanese City-Region has 9.3 million inhabitants,and is on the same level as the US Combined Statistical Areas.

What will be the advantages for the city?

As the story of any Universal Expo teaches us, for six months Milan will be a hub for tourists from all over the world, and will therefore find itself in a position to prove its excellence and confirm its international vocation.

The Expo 2015 will, therefore, be a one-off and extraordinary opportunity for visitors to the site.

And for Milan the Expo will be a catalyser of resources and an accelerator of projects which will boost the city’s infrastructural legacy. The Centre for Sustainable Development will be one of the most concrete and prestigious legacies of the Expo, as will the large park which will be left on the site after the Exposition closes.

How does the EXPO work?

On 1st December 2008, fulfilling the Italian Republic’s commitment to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) when it put forward Milan’s candidacy as the host city for the 2015 Universal Exposition, the Società Expo 2015 S.p.A. was set up.

The members of this company are:

  • The Italian government (Ministry for Economy and Finance)
  • The Lombardy Region.
  • The Municipality of Milan
  • The Province of Milan
  • The Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Small Businesses

Expo 2015 S.p.A. is, therefore, responsible for organizing the Expo Milano 2015, for all the preparation and construction of the exposition site, the infrastructure linking the site to surrounding areas, accommodation facilities and works of a technological nature.

What stage are we at?

The easiest and best way to follow the progress of the Expo is to go to the Expo Milano 2015 site: www.expo2015.org where it is possible to find detailed information regarding the project, the stage of the works, Expo 2015 SpA and its activities.

Videos and photo galleries, press releases and information made available by Expo 2015 SpA are there to be enjoyed by all those who do not want to miss any stage of this extraordinary event.

Then there is http://www.youtube.com/user/expomilanotv which is the Expo Milano 2015 YouTube channel where you can find video clips of the most significant moments of the Expo project.