Australia Launches Design Tender for the Australian Pavilion at World Expo 2010

I am pleased to announce today that the Australian Government has released the tender for the design of the Australian pavilion at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

This Expo is set to be the biggest and most dynamic world exposition ever, with as many as 70 million people visiting the site over the six months of the Expo.

The Expo's theme - 'Better City, Better Life' - is timely and highly relevant given the pressing social and environmental challenges facing the world's cities. Around 50 per cent of the world's population now lives in cities, there are 20 mega-cities,each home to more than 10 million people.

The Australia presence at the Expo will articulate this theme in an innovative way, demonstrating that we have some of the world's most livable cities and that we are at the cutting edge of expertise in environmental and urban design as well as clean energy technologies.

Our pavilion will also reflect the depth and breadth of the Australia-China relationship, highlighting the many powerful economic, social and educational links which bind our two countries together. China is one of Australia most important economic partners.

As with previous Expos, the Australian pavilion will represent a concerted national effort, bringing together the federal government, the states and territories and the private sector to project an exciting image of contemporary Australia.

I congratulate Shanghai on the Expo preparations to date, some of which I witnessed first hand during a visit to the Expo bureau’s headquarters yesterday. The downtown location of the site will, I am sure, contribute significantly to the success of the Expo.

I encourage interested companies to submit a tender to develop the way in which we portray Australia to the expected 400,000 to 600,000 visitors who will visit the Expo site each day.

Tender details are available from my Department’s website: www.dfat.gov.au/tenders.

Media Inquiries: Mr Downer's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555