Wroc?aw bids to make an exhibition of itself

Cities are vying for the right to put themselves in the global shop-window, says Ian Mundell.

Polish Culture Minister Kazimierz Ujazdowski was in Brussels last week to promote the city of Wroc?aw’s bid to host an international Expo in 2012. Most of the work to win support from the 98 voting countries is being carried out bilaterally, but the meeting of EU culture ministers on 24 May gave him an opportunity to emphasise the European nature of the project. The EU’s meeting with African, Caribbean and Pacific leaders on 25 May provided him with a chance to lobby some non-EU leaders.

There are two sorts of Expo: the large World Exhibitions that take place every five years and have broad themes (for 2010 Shanghai has chosen ‘better city, better life’) and the more modest International Exhibitions that can take place in the years between, focusing on a specific topic. Once a city registers its interest in hosting an International Exhibition in a particular year, competitive bids are invited.

For 2012, the South Korean city of Yeosu started the process proposing an exhibition on the living ocean and coast, followed by Tangier and ‘routes of the world, cultures connecting’. Wroc?aw was third into the competition with the theme ‘the culture of leisure in world economies’, following its unsuccessful bid to host a World Expo in 2010.

"The solidarity of Europe in this matter is very important to us," Ujazdowski explained between meetings. "Wroc?aw is the only European candidate and is a sort of European laboratory." That is a philosophical way of presenting a turbulent history that has made the city successively Bohemian, Habsburg, Prussian, German and Polish. As a member of parliament for the city, Ujazdowski is in no doubt about where it stands now. "It’s a Polish city, but it has a great respect for the heritage of other countries. The Czech, German and Austrian cultures all co-exist in Wroc?aw."

He can also give less sentimental reasons why the EU should back Wroc?aw. "The universal character of the exhibition creates a special opportunity to demonstrate the dynamics of the European economy in such areas as media, culture and tourism to the whole world. It can also lead to the better knowledge of Europe among the guests from other continents."

Ujazdowski is satisfied that the EU is behind him, with the European Commission and EU Presidency alike happy to talk about Wroc?aw as the European candidate. However there is still work to do with the member states. "We have the majority of them, but some countries might have more sympathy towards the other competitors because of their geographical situation."

This competing Mediterranean solidarity may work in Wroc?aw’s favour when it comes to winning over the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). Tangier’s candidacy creates the possibility of having an Expo in Africa for the first time, but Morocco is not an ACP member. "We have not really seen this as a strong argument in our talks," Ujazdowski observed. "I don’t think Morocco is a typical developing country, rather it is treated as a country that has very strong relations in the Mediterranean."

As with previous Expos, Ujazdowski proposes offering developing countries special support to prepare and maintain their exhibits, and help with the cost of delegates staying in Poland. But he also wants to set up a large number of scholarships that will bring students from developing countries to the Expo. "We see it as an opportunity to broaden social contacts between individuals," he said.

The theme is intended to appeal to North and South alike. "There are the very rich countries whose citizens have more and more leisure time, and where there are new economic initiatives aimed at this all the time, new forms of participation in culture and new media ventures. On the other hand there is a great opportunity for developing countries in tourism, as a vehicle for their development."

While environmental themes have proved popular in previous Expos, he thinks it is time for a change. "We are coming back to the subject of leisure after 20 years," he said, referring to the 1988 Brisbane Expo, "and so much has changed, both inside and outside Europe. We think we are suggesting something new."

• Ian Mundell is a freelance journalist based in Brussels.

Cities are vying for the right to put themselves in the global shop-window, says Ian Mundell.