Crown Prince to attend Riyadh Expo 2030 bid reception in Paris tomorrow

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman will attend the official reception that will be held tomorrow, June 19, in Paris to officially present Saudi Arabia's candidacy to host Expo 2030.

The event will be for representatives of the 179 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the organization responsible for the World Expo. It will be held on the eve of the Bureau's 172ndgeneral assembly on June 20, in Paris, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ceremony is part of the nomination procedures for Riyadh Expo 2030. It aims to introduce the capital's readiness, plans, and projects to host the exhibition in advance of voting to choose the host city for this event at the next general assembly meeting, which will be held in November 2023.

The reception, organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, includes an exhibition that reflects the Kingdom's and its capital's civilizational and cultural depth, highlighting its political and economic weight, and the distinction of its geographical location. It will also present the Kingdom's distinctive infrastructure that makes it ready to host the largest international events and ceremonies.

This is in addition to the greater capabilities the country will have when the ongoing development projects are completed, which are scheduled to be launched before the exhibition's opening date.

The exhibition takes visitors on a virtual tour of Riyadh in 2030, starting from the arrival at King Salman International Airport, to the capital's most prominent landmarks and major projects, including the sports track, King Salman Park, Diriyah Gate, Qiddiya, and other mega development projects that the Kingdom is currently witnessing.

A high-level Saudi delegation will participate in the reception, including ministers and senior officials from the Saudi and French sides, as well as all BIE member states, members of international organizations such as UNESCO, and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in France.

According to the data available with Argaam, the Kingdom submitted an official application to organize Expo 2030, whereas Paris-based BIE announced that four countries submitted their official files to host this important event, led by Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), in addition to South Korea (Busan), Italy (Rome), and Ukraine (Odessa).

During the 171st BIE general assembly in November 2023, member states will vote on the candidates and choose the winning country for Expo 2030.