Belgium Pavilion picks Smurfs

Officials from the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, Belgium and EU as well as construction workers and a Belgian girl leave their fingerprints, which will be showcased during the Expo.

Belgian Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister Didier Reynders gives a speech.

Hong Hao, director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, delivers a speech.

Smurfs, the blue elf-like creatures, are ready to serve the Belgium Pavilion as its mascot during the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

The Belgian animated creatures, created by Peyo in 1958, hit China in the 1980s with the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series and won countless domestic fans.

"Smurfs are lovely, kind and all good to others. They will not hurt anybody and are good people," said Leo Delcroix, the Belgian commissioner general.

The creatures are popular in both China and Europe and can be a good ambassador between China and Belgium, he added.

People dressed as Smurfs will welcome visitors while virtual Smurfs will present the pavilion's multimedia shows, he said.

The Belgian Expo team will decide whether a male or female Smurf would be the official mascot before naming it.

The pavilion will prepare an exhibition of all Belgium's famous cartoon characters, including Tintin, created by Herge in 1929.

Leo Delcroix, the Belgian commissioner general, delivers a speech.

Alexander Mclachlan, Counsellor of the Delegation of the European Commission to China, speaks.

Smurfs, the blue elf-like creatures, are ready to serve the Belgium Pavilion as its mascot during the 2010 Expo.

Construction started yesterday on the cube-shaped pavilion, which will have 5,000 square meters of space.

A fifth of the space will be taken up by the European Union's exhibition, its Expo debut outside its member countries.

At the ground-breaking ceremony yesterday, officials from the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, Belgium and EU as well as construction workers and a Belgian girl left their fingerprints, which will be showcased during the Expo.

Visitors will enjoy the "bon vivant" lifestyle of the continent. A mini chocolate factory will make authentic Belgium chocolate free for visitors.

The pavilion aims to attract investment from China as well as to promote Belgian investors to China, according to Didier Reynders, Belgian vice prime minister and minster of finance.

Children sing for the ceremony.

an artist's rendition of the Belgium Pavilion

an artist's rendition of the Belgium Pavilion

Iranian delegation visits Expo Bureau

scene of the meeting

A delegation led by Iran's commissioner general for the 2010 World Expo today discussed the country's exhibition with the organizer.

Iran has already secured a 2,000-square-meter rented pavilion. An official participation contract has also been inked between the Middle East country and the Expo organizer.

The commissioner general Gholizadeh said Iran will bring the most splendid part of its culture to the Expo.

Hu Jinjun, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, pledged every necessary support from the organizer.

The delegation also toured the Expo site.

Osaka unveils Expo pavilion logo

Osaka Pavilion's logo

The Japanese city Osaka has unveiled a wave-shaped logo for its pavilion in World Expo 2010 Shanghai Urban Best Practices Area.

The logo features a Chinese character "大" which represents the first character of the Chinese name of Osaka. Chinese designer Wang Yiqin, who now lives in Osaka, created the logo.

The winning design was selected among 307 entries following a public contest concluded in early June. Judges hailed the design for its combination of Chinese culture and beautiful wave shape, which demonstrates the understanding of Osaka's theme "Advanced Environment City - The Challenge of the Water Metropolis."

The logo will be published on the Internet, as well as in promotional materials and posters of Osaka's UBPA case.

Meanwhile, Osaka Pavilion has launched a public search for artwork that will run through October 31. Winners will be awarded Expo 2010 tickets. Details are available at http://www.digmeout.net/osaka/.

Osaka will present a watery world at its exhibit that introduces its development of water transport and how it prevents water disasters.

The display will also involve innovative and sophisticated technologies designed to achieve a more comfortable life and a better environment.

New Zealand officials discuss Expo exhibition with organizer

scene of the meeting

Phillip Gibson, New Zealand's commissioner general for World Expo 2010, exchanged views with the organizer yesterday on the construction and operation of the country's pavilion, which will showcase the balance between city and nature.

Hua Junduo, China's commissioner general for World Expo 2010, welcomed the delegation.

The New Zealand Pavilion, themed "Cities of Nature: Living between Land and Sky," will be on a 2,000-square-meter plot on the Pudong side of the Expo site. Construction has already started.

The pavilion exhibition will give a modern variation of the Maori story of how humans were created. The Maori believe forests and people are different aspects of the same creative spirit.

Michael Swain, the New Zealand Consul-General in Shanghai, was also present during the meeting.

Huge three-dimensional painting for Expo

German artist Edgar Muller (center) poses with the huge three-dimensional painting he made on the ground at a shopping mall on Nanjing Road W. yesterday. The 300-squaremeter work is the biggest 3D painting in the world. - Shanghai Daily

Touring exhibition promotes Germany Pavilion

a model of the Germany Pavilion

German officials have started touring major cities of China to promote its "Balancity" pavilion, Germany's official World Expo 2010 Website revealed early this week.

The exhibition features a model of the pavilion on a scale of 1 to 200 together with a film providing a virtual tour through the exhibition of "Balancity."

The film starts with showcasing the displays of Germany's federal states. Visitors will then gradually explore various places typical of a city -- a harbor, a factory, a garden, a park and a depot where exhibits and urban projects from Germany will be on show.

The exhibition also involves several posters providing information in German, English und Chinese about Germany's Expo involvement and the pavilion's architecture and exhibition.

The tour started in June in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, which was marked by a week-long exhibition. It has also reached the German Centre for Industry and Trade Shanghai Co and Goethe-Institute Shanghai.

It will hit Wuhan, Beijing and return to Shanghai in 2010. Its Shanghai leg also includes a series of exhibitions at Tongji University.

The 6,000-square-meter structure will be Germany's largest ever at an Expo and will comprise three exhibition areas that will showcase urban life and how the country's design and products can help solve urbanization problems.

It will demonstrate the importance of balance between modernization and preservation, innovation and tradition, community and the individual, work and leisure, and between globalization and national identity.