Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Kuwait has unveiled the design of its pavilion for the “Osaka, Kansai, Japan Expo 2025,” which is scheduled to take place in Osaka from April to October next year.

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Sami Al-Zamanan attended the unveiling at a Tokyo hotel along with Expo officials and members of the Kuwait Expo team.

At the start of his address, the Ambassador noted that in 1970, Kuwait was among only four Arab countries that participated in the Osaka Expo.

“Fast forward 55 years, and here we are back again, at the Osaka Expo, in a testament to the unbreakable bond between the State of Kuwait and Japan,” he said. “Our efforts to promote our bilateral relations come in line with the directive of the wise leadership of the State of Kuwait, headed by His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.”

The ambassador said the Expo offers a unique opportunity to highlight Kuwait’s social heritage and cultural aspects, and to highlight the profound friendship between Kuwait and Japan, which are aspiring to build a better world for generations to come.

ICHINOKI Manatsu, the Vice Secretary-General of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said that Kuwait has one of the largest pavilions at the Expo. The event, he said, is a chance for countries to look at the future of humanity.

“The Osaka Expo is the first Expo in history to directly confront the issues of life with the main theme of designing future societies,” he said, adding that the exhibits will focus on questions such as “What is human happiness?” and “What must be done to maximize our potential?” He also said that post-COVID, there is a need for people to reconnect in a divided world.

Christian Tschersich, one of the pavilion’s designers, said that same theme is incorporated in the design elements. “We put people at the center of the exhibition,” he said. “It is a unified experiential landscape that makes the heritage and future of the country of Kuwait tangible to the visitors. The design is rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Kuwait.” He added that other aspects include “the origins of the Kuwaiti people, the country’s heritage and its future,” as well as the hospitality and openness of its people.

Dr. Khaled Mahdi, Secretary-General for the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, outlined the vision of Kuwait’s pavilion.

“In Osaka in 1970, Kuwait proudly exhibited its pavilion, which, at that time, symbolized modern Kuwait. We showed the process of the modernization of the country,” he stated. “We are participating now to show Kuwait’s transformation to the future, our journey to what we call a New Kuwait.”

When asked about reports of problems hosting the Expo reported in the Japanese media, including the potential postponement to 2026, Mahdi responded emphatically that the Expo will go ahead as planned and will open next year on schedule.

“We want to make this event successful,” he said.