Shanghai Expo comes to a successful ending

On the 24th of October 2010, at 10:17 hours, the World Expo Shanghai 2010 reached its target of 70,000,000 visitors. Eight days earlier, the space between Nanpu bridge and Lupu bridge along both sides of the Huangpu River in downtown Shanghai, both Pudong and Puxi, was filled with 1,032,700 visitors in just a single day, becoming the first highest record of the Expo site! The total number of visitors increased to over 73,000,000 when the Expo closed its doors on the 31st October 2010, to mark the successful, memorable and eye-catching World Exposition.
 

This major success reflected the participation of more than 200 countries and international organizations proving that the People’s Republic of China was ready to welcome the world. The Botswana Pavilion, having been housed in the Africa Joint Pavilion with other 42 countries, showcased a true representation of Africa’s natural beauty and wildlife, the exposition of desirable mineral resources, urbanization, unique arts and cultural handicrafts demonstrating the warm spirit of the people of Botswana.
 

Thanks to a group of Batswana studying in the different provinces of China in conjunction with BEDIA, Shanghai Expo volunteers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as represented by the Botswana Embassy in Beijing, the 184 days of hard work and dedication showed that our participation as a country goes a long way in strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties with China and enhancing exploration of business opportunities. Most importantly, our cultural exchanges with China have been deepened. The Botswana Pavilion indisputably became a famous and memorable stand in the Africa Joint Pavilion and enjoyed over 21 million visitors, for its uniqueness and the better understanding to a Chinese man or woman who never thought anything good like invaluable diamonds could come from Botswana.
 

In the six month period, Botswana managed to position herself on the Chinese promotional board. In addition to promoting available investment opportunities in the country, other marketing events included the promotion of the tourism industry, traditional music and dance, arts and crafts and the strengtheningof the relationships between the Botswana Confucius Institute and Shanghai Normal University, 44th independence celebration reflecting on the past, the present and the future.
 

Our involvement in the Expo was also graced by visitations of Heads of African countries and their ministers as well as many Batswana from home and the Diaspora; among them His Honor the Vice President, Lt General Mompati Merafhe, Honorable Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms. Dorcas Makgato-Malesu, the Botswana Defence Force Commander, Mr. Tebogo Masire, Parliamentarians, the Mayor of Gaborone, Mrs. Victoria Lesolle, senior government representatives, captains of industry, chief executives of parastatals as well as Batswana students studying in China.
 

On the 4th November 2010 the award ceremony of the Joint Pavilion was held in recognition of the Pavilion’s theme development, creative display, design and exhibition content, information on display, dedication and accountability of staff, innovative capabilities and solution to sustainable urban development.
 

Botswana was awarded the “Conscientious and Dedication Award” during the ceremony and the Prize Jury gave us the award with the consideration that the Botswana Pavilion represented exemplary efforts to address the issues of accountability, dedication, transparency and depicted harmonious rural – urban relations, urban migration, gender inequality and rural development. The ceremony was graced by Mr. Gobe Pitso, the Acting Ambassador of Botswana to the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Chen Jintian, the Director of the Joint Africa Pavilion Department at the Expo Bureau who presented the award to Mr. Lameck Nthekela, the Director of Corporate Services at BEDIA accompanied by Mr. Calvin Ketshabetswe, the Director of the Botswana Pavilion at the World Expo. Botswana was also nominated in the first tour of three countries and was later visited by a high level Expo delegation headed by Mr. Zhou Hanmin, the Vice Chairman of Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on the 24th November 2010.
 

It had been a great honor and privilege to have worked with the Botswana Embassy in Beijing, Batswana students in China, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Office, the Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, the Director of the Africa Pavilion Department, our service provider, Foremost Inc., the Botswana Commissioner General, the Shanghai subcommittee and its Coordinator at BEDIA, the BEDIA monthly rotating officers and most importantly the support offered by the BEDIA Board of Directors.
 

We are also grateful to the general staff of Namibia, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa and Angola pavilions, for the great support we have received from them during our participation in the expo.