Milan's World Fair: EXPO 2015

What and Where: The World Exposition of 2015 in Milan will focus on Food: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life

Milan’s Expo 2015: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.

Food lies at the heart of Italian culture, so it’s no mystery that when Milan was chosen to host the 2015 Exposition, the fair’s focus would revolve around this country’s favorite pastime: food. This year, Italy’s northern capital will welcome visitors to this international affair where guests can taste international cuisine and participate in interactive experiences to discover future of gastronomy and agriculture. From Italian ravioli to authentic Thai, get your taste buds ready for this year’s World Exposition: EXPO MILANO 2015.

What is a World’s Fair?

The idea of a World’s Exposition (also called World’s Fair, Universal Exposition, or simply, Expo) was born as a consequence of the Industrial Revolution of the early 1800s. The first World Exposition, The Great Exposition, took place in London and featured the modern industrial and architectural marvel of the time: The Crystal Palace. For years afterwards, Expositions served as a global showcase to exhibit advancements in industrialization, promote cultural exchanges and develop nation branding. These fairs were platforms for the exchange of ideas on an international scale. Thousands of people travelled the globe to participate in these enormous events, while countries sent their latest technologies or cultural wonders to be flaunted in impressively constructed pavilions.  A quote from an advertisement for the Chicago World Fair best sums up these exhibitions’ initiatives: "The World's Fair has proven a great, big school, where people come like children to learn, to see with eyes, and to hear with ears anointed, all the glory that God has put into the mind of man to bring about." Some of the historic moments include the introduction of the light bulb at the Chicago 1893 World’s Fair and the use of iron in the Eiffel Tower at the Paris 1889 World’s Exposition. Many of the modern world’s inventions were presented at these Fairs.

Milan takes center-stage: EXPO 2015

This year, it’s Italy’s time to shine as Milan hosts the 2015 EXPO that will take place from May 1 to October 31, 2015. Similar to past Expositions, the fair highlights technology, innovation, culture, traditions and creativity, but with a uniquely Italian twist: how they relate to food and diet. Over 140 countries will participate as the fair welcomes more than 20 million visitors to its exhibition area of 1.1 million square meters. Fairgoers will see how traditional gastronomic values are deeply intertwined with new technologies, focusing on the right to healthy, secure and sufficient food for the entire world.

Common sub-themes that link together the pavilions are: Science for Food Safety, Security and Quality; Innovation in the Agro Food Supply Chain; Technology for Agriculture and Biodiversity; Dietary Education; Solidary and Cooperation on Food; Food for Better Lifestyles; and Food in the World’s Cultures and Ethnic Groups.

Highlights of EXPO 2015

Various countries’ pavilions will allow guests to taste the some of the world’s best dishes, while discovering the gastronomic and agricultural traditions of the exhibitor countries.

EXPO 2015 is the first Universal Exposition to launch the concept of "clusters"- communities brought together by a common theme, rather than a geographical area. The featured clusters are: Rice: Abundance and Security; Cocoa and Chocolate: The Food of Gods; Coffee: The Engine of Ideas; Fruits and Legumes; Spices: The World of Spices; Cereals and Tubers: Old and New Crops; Bio-Mediterranean: Health, Beauty and Harmony; Islands, Sea and Food; Agriculture and Nutrients in Arid Zones. 

The theme: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life, is further broken down into 5 themes that cover the history of food consumption and production (Pavilion Zero), the future of food (Future Food District), an area for children to discover the main theme through hands-on fun activities (Children’s Park), a large area with two theaters dedicated to organic products and biodiversity (Biodiversity Area), and a zone which features food in diverse artistic representations (Arts & Food). 

Finally, one of the best online features of the Fair is the online recipe database! Check out one of the 164,642 recipes that come from every corner of the globe on: http://worldrecipes.expo2015.org/en/. This is a great opportunity to find authentic and traditional dishes translated into English.

For more information check out: http://www.expo2015.org/en/tickets