Main Theme: Better City - Better Life
The concept of the "Ideal City" was always a part of political, philosophical, ethical and religious debate. At the beginning of the 21st century, when urban areas are home to 70 percent of the world's population, a similar discourse is unavoidable. The goal of the EXPO 2010 organizers is therefore to concentrate the attention of the international community on the actual problems of urban growth and development, which should emphasize most of all the harmony between the individual, technologies and the natural environment. Main Theme "Better City - Better Life" reflects the common interest to manage a wild growth of urban areas and the quality of life of its inhabitants. Today’s cities and municipal agglomerations face multiple problems - smog, criminality, social and cultural conflicts, lack of resources, and damage to the environment among others. EXPO 2010 in Shanghai has set a goal to specify these problems on a global level and construct a base for solutions by future generations.
The EXPO mascot
A cartoon figure named "Haibao" is the personification of one of the principal characters of Chinese
culture and EXPO. The designers based it on the Chinese character "
",
which in translation means "people." To express fantasies and the rapidly growing potential of all of China,
the designers used the colour blue. The figure is topped with shock of hair in the shape of a wave, symbolizing
not only a city on the seashore, but also being open to the surrounding world. The rounded body is meant to show
a happy and contented life in an area of high living standards. With his raised thumb, Haibao is saying that
he appreciates visitors from the world over and welcomes them with open arms. And his strong feet illustrate
China's ability to successfully seize an opportunity such as EXPO.
EXPO logo
The logo of the World Exposition is a blend of several symbols. It is initially based on the Chinese character meaning "the world" in which the designers want to express the enormous size and cultural variety of the entire exposition. The basis of the logo is formed by three figures – I, you, he / she, holding hands and representing all of humanity.
The EXPO mascot
EXPO logo
