The Astana EXPO 2017 National Company is on the threshold of important events, including a June ceremony in which Kazakhstan will receive the International Specialised Exhibition (BIE) flag, the start of accreditation of exhibitors and the launch of construction of Expo City.
The initiative of this large-scale project in our country belongs to the head of state, and at the official presentation of Astana in Paris at the 151st General Assembly of the BIE in November 2012, President Nursultan Nazarbayev in his speech personally guaranteed maximum efforts for the successful implementation of the project in the event Kazakhstan was chosen as the host.
And on Nov. 22, 2012 Astana was chosen to host the international specialised exhibition EXPO 2017 in a secret ballot of representatives of 161 member states of the International Exhibitions Bureau. The bid of the Kazakh capital was supported by 103 countries.
Since then, full-scale work on the implementation of one of Kazakhstan’s key projects has begun. This year, in his state-of-the-nation address “Kazakhstan’s Way 2050: Common Goal, Common Interests, Common Future,” the President set major goals and objectives for all citizens of the republic and said that the strategy is a programme of specific practical actions, which, day after day and from year to year, will improve the lives of Kazakhstan’s people.
In his address, the head of state noted that preparations for EXPO 2017 should be used to establish a centre to study and introduce the best international practices in the search and creation of the energy of the future and a green economy.
The participants of the exhibition from more than 100 countries will formulate the strategy for efficient use of energy. This document sets the main goal: equal and fair access to energy sources, mainly to developing and the least-developed countries. In turn, the efficient use of alternative energy will help solve some social problems in the republic.
It is worth noting that the territory of the exhibition can become an illustrative example of the implementation of the President’s strategy. The exhibition complex is planned to become a unique part of the capital where new technologies will be developed and applied.
Expo City will also have an intellectual life support system – SmartGrid. Each building could sell or distribute electricity and water and monitor the activities of the entire infrastructure, including security.
In addition, an energy accumulation system will be installed in the central station of Expo City. Thereby, the Kazakh capital will become a kind of “city of the future.” And the presentation of the world’s achievements in alternative energy at EXPO 2017 will further broaden the horizons of renewable energy in Kazakhstan.
All this in turn will help implement key government programmes in the field of industrial-innovative development, social employment, modernisation of housing and in the sphere of health and education, said the President in discussing Strategy 2050.
According to preliminary architectural and planning decisions of the General Plan, the territory of EXPO 2017 will include a 240,000-square-metre exhibition area with the “Kazakhstan – Astana” pavilion, international, corporate and themed pavilions as well as trade, entertainment and other facilities.
A 715,000-square-metre zone with conference and press centres, houses, hotels, an indoor city and the office of organisers of the fair is also planned.
Preparatory work is currently underway and in June builders will start construction of the national pavilion.
The peak of construction will be in 2015 and, in general, they will be completed by December 2016. In accordance with the Convention on International Exhibitions, EXPO 2017 will last three months from June 10 to Sept. 10, 2017. The event is expected to attract participants from more than 100 countries, at least 10 international authoritative organisations, and 10 leading companies in innovative technologies.
More than 2 million people are also expected to visit the exhibition. Concerts, shows, national days and other recreational activities will be held daily within the expo.
Holding such a large-scale event as the international exhibition EXPO 2017 in Kazakhstan will give a new impetus to the development of our country and strengthen the positive image of the republic in the world. It will become another milestone.
The author is the Chairman of the EXPO 2017 National Company.
