Today marks four years since the completion of the construction of the International Specialized Exhibition “EXPO-2017 Astana”. Read about how it was and how EXPO territory developing now in the NUR.KZ report.
Kazakhstan is the first and the only among the CIS countries where the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO was held. 115 countries and 22 international organizations took part at the exhibition; four million tourists, of which about 650 thousand were foreigners, visited it.
How the idea to hold EXPO in Kazakhstan was conceived
The initiative of holding EXPO exhibition belongs to Yelbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev. In 2012, in a tough competition with Belgian city Liege, Kazakhstan won the right to host a large-scale world-class event.
The opening of EXPO-2017 exhibition on the “Future Energy” topic took place on June 10, 2017. The theme of the exhibition was defined by the global transition to alternative energy sources and the use of “green” technologies.
It is worth noting that an exhibition complex with an area of more than 25 hectares was built for EXPO-2017, which included the National Pavilion of Kazakhstan, international, thematic and corporate pavilions.
“Green” technologies as the main driver
The subject of the exhibition “Future Energy” was chosen for a reason. Yelbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev, within the framework of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, took the initiative to develop a Global energy-ecological strategy for sustainable development.
At the same time, Kazakhstan has adopted significant programs for the development of alternative energy and environmental protection.
One hundred and forty expositions reflecting the theme of the exhibition were presented at the exhibition, including twenty-nine projects in the National Pavilion, twenty-four proposals of the local scientists in the field of green economy in the Best Practices Zone.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of EXPO-2017, Nursultan Nazarbayev stressed, “The exhibition has become a phenomenon that has determined the further innovative development of Kazakhstan, and has made its unique contribution to the global development of clean energy around the world.”
Thus, the topic of the exhibition “Future Energy” not only announced Kazakhstan’s intentions to develop new and safe technologies, but also set the trends.
Following the results of the exhibition, the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan created a special expert working group, which formed a list of the best twenty eight domestic and 105 foreign technologies in the field of ecology, energy, energy saving and RES, presented at EXPO-2017.
Today, the International Center for Green Technologies and Investment Projects is implementing the further development of the theme of the past exhibition “Future Energy”. It makes a significant contribution to the development of an environmentally friendly economy of the country, introducing advanced solutions in the field of renewable energy sources.
In the State of the Nation Address, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need to switch to alternative energy. Earlier he proposed to create a New Energy Competence Center in the country. He also pointed out that the experience in using high-tech innovations in this area could be developed on its basis in an experimental mode.
New Life of EXPO
Leaning on the results of the exhibition, the Secretary General of the International Bureau of Exhibitions, Vicente Loscertales, highly appreciated the holding of a specialized exhibition in the capital of Kazakhstan and highlighted that EXPO-2017 was recognized by the BIE as the best specialized exhibition in the history of EXPO.
After such a large-scale event, the Yelbasy approved a concept for the post-exhibition use of EXPO facilities in April 2018. According to the concept, NUR ALEM Sphere has continued to function as a Museum of Future Energy, and the EXPO territory was transformed into a Business Center that absorbed the main directions of the development of the modern economy.
EXPO today
EXPO Business Center has become innovation cluster, including the Astana International Financial Center, Astana Hub International Technopark of IT startups, Astana IT University, the International Center for Green Technologies and Investment Projects, as well as the modern EXPO Business Center and NUR ALEM Museum of Future Energy.
Furthermore, recently, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev opened a Digital government Office on the territory of EXPO business center, where work on the transition of state bodies to a digital format, analysis and development of scenarios for achieving targets, monitoring the main directions of socio-economic development will be focused.
Currently, QazExpoCongress National Company effectively uses the existing infrastructure, namely the multifunctional and unique “Congress Center” complex and the largest International Exhibition Center “EXPO” in Central Asia, where events of diverse formats and complexity can be held.
The opening of the exhibition season at the EXPO IEC has began in June this year with the holding of the International Automobile Exhibitions “Automechanika Astana” and “Futuroad Expo Astana 2021”. The International Specialized Exhibition on mechanical engineering and metalworking “Kazakhstan Machinery Fair” and the International Industrial Exhibition “Week of Manufacturing Industry of Kazakhstan”, the Forum of Machine Builders, the International Agricultural Exhibitions “KazAgro/KazFarm 2021”, the 27th Kazakhstan International Exhibition “KIOGE 2021” and other events are planned to be held in the autumn.
Thus, the transformation of EXPO complex into a contemporary business space gave a new impetus to the development of the country’s economy and formed a new center of attraction for innovative solutions and achievements in scientific and technological progress.
Author: Zaure Kopzhanova
