BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The World Expo 2010, a window into the world's development trend and progress of mankind, will open its doors in Shanghai on Saturday.
The expo,the first world exposition hosted by a developing country, is expected to attract more than 70 million visitors during its six-month run.
The whole world is looking forward to the mega event, the largest global expo ever.
"BETTER CITY, BETTER LIFE"
The organizers of Expo 2010 Shanghai have chosen the theme "Better City, Better Life."
The theme, which draws attention to the problems of urban growth and development, has earned high praise from Expo participants.
The world expo, for the first time, has an urban theme, said Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, secretary-general of the Bureau of International Expositions.
The expos that follow the Shanghai exhibition will continue to explore its urban theme, Loscertales said.
"The message the Shanghai Expo is sending is universal: to save the planet and rethink urban living," said Franck Serrano, director of the French pavillion.
Jeanette Elsworth, public information officer for UN-HABITAT, said that, as the UN agency on urban issues, her group welcomes the theme as an overdue recognition of the importance of urbanization to human development and the environment.
Elsworth said the Shanghai expo will provide people with the opportunity to reflect on problems caused by rapid urbanization and for world leaders to come together to debate how best to tackle the issues so that everyone can benefit.
The theme strikes a chord with Expo participants because it emphasizes the harmony between the individual, technologies and the natural environment, which is an important issue facing mankind in the 21st century.
The world has entered an era of urbanization. More than half of the world's population now lives in cities, and that number is growing daily.
Urbanization provides numerous opportunities but it also poses various problems.
At the Shanghai Expo, visitors will have the chance to experience a futuristic urban lifestyle. It is also expected that, after the expo, the environmentally friendly construction materials and renewable energy will make a bigger change in the lives of ordinary people.
