dustrial zone, while the period following Expo 1986 in Vancouver saw a neglect- ed waterfront area transformed into one of the city’s most valuable neighbour- hoods, with the transport infrastructure of that period still forming the backbone of the city’s metro system today. Lisbon, Seville and Milan followed a similar de- velopment path, continuing to develop their Expo zones as key hubs of tourism, culture and business. This pattern is also confirmed by relevant research: the Eco- nomic Legacy of World Expos study indi- cates that international exhibitions stim- ulate employment growth, strengthen tourism and accelerate infrastructure de- velopment, provided that a clearly de- fined post-Expo phase exists, while anal- ysis entitled Global City Patterns in the Wake of World Expos confirms that cities with a clearly articulated legacy strategy achieve long-term regional development. Within this framework, the Expo isn’t seen as a cost that culminates with the fall of the curtain on the closing cere- mony, but rather is interpreted as a pro- cess with effects that only become visible once the city begins to function different- ly. In infrastructure that shortens every- day commutes, in jobs that remain, in in- vestment decisions that follow because trust has already been established. This is not an event realised for a single sea- son, but rather a turning point in devel- opment that determines the country’s di- rection for decades to come. Under the supervision of the Bureau Internation- al des Expositions, and with a clearly de- fined legacy strategy, Expo 2027 is tak- ing shape as a lasting value – a project that’s transforming the urban landscape, strengthening economic foundations and consolidating Serbia’s international posi- tion, yielding a result that’s measured not only by applause, but by time.
EXPO 2027 INVESTMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS T here are years when the re- sults of previous efforts be- come clearly visible and the success of a country can be assessed. Preparations for port, via tourism and hospitality, to IT and the creative industries. It is precisely this long-term perspec- tive that changes the way we should view Expo 2027. The very nature of the Ex- po make it a project that represents an investment of the entire world, and not solely the host country. In excess of 130 The year 2027 is set to represent a pivotal juncture when Serbia will position itself as a regional centre of innovation, digital transformation, tourism and the creative industries
Expo 2027 are now entering precisely such a phase: a phase in which plans are being solidified, reshaping the city before the eyes of the public. Infrastructure, or- ganisational and programming segments are developing in parallel, with the clear objective of handing over the keys of pa- vilions to participating countries and in- viting delegations to move into the Ex- po Village as early as the second half of this year. Serbia is awaited by an investment of €1.29 billion and the arrival of delega- tions of more than 130 countries from around the world, with estimates that the Expo will generate between 30,000 and 40,000 new jobs and shape an en- tirely new Belgrade development zone in Surčin – through a broad range of related activities, from construction and trans-
countries are participating and more than 60 of them are expected to have budgets exceeding €10 million for their participation in Belgrade. The majority of these funds will be spent in Serbia it- self: on domestic labour, the engagement of local companies, the outfitting of pa- vilions, as well as on professional services ranging from engineering and design to legal and financial services. The experiences of previous World and Specialised expositions show that the true reach of an expo isn’t measured during the event itself, but in subsequent years. In 2010, Shanghai attracted 73 million visitors and built an entirely new urban district on the site of a former in-
Iskustva prethodnih svetskih i specijalizovanih izložbi pokazuju da se pravi domet „Ekspa“ ne meri tokom trajanja manifestacije, već u godinama koje slede The experiences of previous World and Specialised expositions show that the true reach of an expo isn’t measured during the event itself, but in subsequent years
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