ASTANA – The Astana EXPO 2017 national company has completed the final version of the 200-page registration dossier and has submitted it to the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) for consideration, Minister for Environment of Kazakhstan Nurlan Kapparov revealed.
The EXPO 2017 registration dossier is the main document of the exhibition, like an expo constitution. According to head of the Astana EXPO 2017 national company, Talgat Yermegiyaev, this set of documents describes the main points of the construction process, the exhibition theme, promotion campaigns, advertisements, commercialisation, the development of infrastructure, financial support, investment and the use of the exhibition complex after EXPO 2017 is over.
“We plan to get the first approval in November and the final decision will be probably be made at the beginning of next year, when we attain the flag and logo of the BIE. This will mean that Kazakhstan is officially recognised as the host city of EXPO 2017. We plan to get the exhibition attributes next summer during one of the regular meetings of the BIE,” Kapparov added.
“Everything that is written there must be approved by BIE in Paris, and after its approval all the dispositions will be mandatory for us. We will plan our work for the next four years according to this document. There are a lot of nuances, as this is a huge document, about 200 pages,” Kapparov said.
In addition to BIE, the registration dossier must be approved by all the countries that will participate in or plan to participate in the exhibition, because they need to see that their interests will be achieved.
The exhibition area will be divided into two parts: an area containing the actual exhibition and a non-exhibition area. According to the organisation committee, the first area is about 125,000 square metres; the second about 500,000. The non-exhibition area is going to be used to accommodate participants, organisers and visitors to the expo. The organisers’ offices, halls, hotels, parking lots, warehouses and other service and commercial facilities will also be in this zone.
After the exhibition, most of the infrastructure will be transferred to the housing stock of Astana city. Exhibition halls will be used as technological and scientific research centres, laboratories and offices. Shopping and entertainment areas, commercial zones, parks, gardens and recreation areas will be opened for citywide use. The expo town is expected to be a model of a new, eco-friendly lifestyle, fully equipped with housing and academic, commercial, educational and cultural infrastructure.
“Astana is a rapidly growing city and its population is also increasing. There is no doubt that the area of the expo town will be useful. This corner of the capital will be one of the favourite places for residents and guests of Astana,” explained a representative of the organisation committee.
Two or three temporary pavilions of commercial companies and temporary parking spaces will be dismantled after the expo.
“After the presentation and approval of the EXPO 2017 registration dossier, we will launch an active campaign to attract participating countries,” the representative said. EXPO 2017 is expected to attract participants from 100 countries around the world.
