The kingdom is set to host the 2034 football World Cup after emerging as the only bidder for the event and is already welcoming a host of motor-racing, golf and combat sports events. "Saudi Arabia has become an ideal destination for hosting major international events". The selection of the country "underlines its influential and leading role, and the international confidence it enjoys," the official Saudi press agency quoted the prince as saying. The date of 2030 is also hugely symbolic as it coincides with the key milestone in the Vision 2030 programme of MBS to diversify Saudi Arabia economically and also culturally. Hosting the Expo is of immense importance for Saudi Arabia whose bid has been spearheaded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, as he seeks to secure the world's top events to showcase the kingdom across the globe. The World Expo - which traces its history back to the 1851 Great Exhibition in London and the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris that saw the construction of the Eiffel Tower - is a months-long showcase event attracting millions of visitors that aims to respond to the specific challenges of the current time. “As president who oversaw and was responsible for our campaign to host the Expo, I’d like to say again that I’m really sorry for disappointing our people, including Busan citizens.With a pledge for an Expo "built by the world for the world", Saudi's bid smashed the opposition after a years-long lobbying campaign whose intensity caused some gnashing of teeth among its Italian rivals. “I really congratulate our key partner Saudi Arabia for successfully achieving the Riyadh Expo that it’s hoped for,” Yoon said Wednesday in a televised speech in Seoul. In South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol congratulated Saudi Arabia while apologizing for failing to bring the Expo to his country. The city was positioning itself for a high-tech Expo, emphasizing its capabilities in artificial intelligence and 6G technology with the aim of attracting millions of visitors and spurring job creation. The South Korean port city of Busan had brought in cultural heavyweights like “Gangnam Style” rapper Psy and K-pop supergroup BTS to bolster its bid. Rome’s bid included plans for the world’s largest urban solar park and a green corridor connecting the Expo site to historic landmarks like the Appia Antica (Appian Way), one of the oldest and most important roads of the Roman Empire. Rome had enlisted actor Russell Crowe, who appeared in a promotional video echoing his “Gladiator” persona, to underscore the city’s readiness for the Expo. The decision also comes as Saudi Arabia is all but certain to host the men’s 2034 FIFA World Cup. “Saudi Arabia has become an ideal destination for hosting major international events, including the esteemed World Expo,” the prince said in a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Saudi Arabia plans to spend some $7.8 billion itself to build an Expo site. Dubai, which held a pandemic-delayed 2020 Expo in 2021, now is using its $7 billion site to host the United Nations’ COP28 climate talks this week. In a statement, Prince Mohammed cited the Expo as a chance to expand on his development plans. intelligence agencies assess Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing, something denied by Riyadh as it pushes forward with the prince’s massive series of construction projects aimed at slowly changing the kingdom’s oil-dominated economy. Some activists denounced Riyadh’s candidacy amid allegations that the country violates human rights, including the 2018 slaying and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The Saudi bid, seeking to diversify the kingdom’s economy and boost its international stature, had notably received official support from French President Emmanuel Macron. Saudi Arabia mounted a significant marketing campaign, featuring a “Riyadh 2030” exhibit near the Eiffel Tower and extensive advertising across Paris.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |