04 May 2015
Bahrain pavilion in Milan Expo 2015 Hailed by Italian Newspapers
The opening ceremony of Bahrain Milan Expo 2015 was immensely hailed as an enormous success by local Italian media, visitors, and exhibitors alike. In the splendid setting of the Open Air Theater located on the Expo Site, Friday, May 1 2015 saw the opening ceremony of the Universal Exhibition in Milan, the largest initiative ever dedicated to nutrition and environmental sustainability. The theme followed is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’. The pavilion for the kingdom of Bahrain at the Expo Milano 2015, ‘Archaeologies of Green’, was opened in the presence officials, various mass media, culture, and environment professionals. Six months of exhibitions, events, shows, and more will be presented at the Bahrain pavilion
Visitors to the Bahrain Milan Expo 2015 pavilion, including many pioneers of the Italian press, have reported that they were delighted with the level of architectural design of the pavilion which showcases the unique Bahraini culture and identity.
Bahrain pavilion in Milan Expo 2015 has attracted widespread interest with positive reviews in Italian media including the daily Corriere della Sera, which is considered one of the most important renowned newspapers in Italy. Corriere della Sera considered that kingdom of Bahrain at the Expo Milano 2015, ‘Archaeologies of Green’ as “one of the real surprises” of the exhibition, pointing out that the Bahrain pavilion, designed by architect Anne Holtrop and landscape architect Anouk Vogel, was conceived as a continuous landscape of fruit gardens intersecting with enclosed exhibition spaces. The newspaper added that the pavilion, which is built out of white prefabricated concrete panels that have been designed to go together like a jigsaw puzzle, will be dismantled and moved to Bahrain where it will be reconstructed as a botanical garden. Bahrain’s Expo Milano 2015, ‘Archaeologies of Green’ represents the 3rd most attractive show presented by the actual Universal Exhibition in Milan, Corriere della Sera added.
Bahrain Culture & Antiquities Authority seeks, through the kingdom of Bahrain self-built pavilion in the Expo Milano 2015, to both raise awareness of Bahrain’s unique agricultural heritage and distinct tourism features. In fact, Bahrain’s pavilion ‘Archaeologies of Green’ is conceived as a continuous landscape of fruit gardens with each containing a dominant fruit tree that is native to Bahrain. The pavilion is built over an area of 2000 m2. and is designed to raise awareness of Bahrain’s singular agricultural culture and heritage as well as the importance of sustainable development practices, which reaches back into history for 4000 years and is known as the ancient civilization of Dilmun. The pavilion also features archeological artifacts that celebrate the millennia long tradition of agriculture and perpetuate the many myths of Bahrain as the location of the Garden of Eden and the land of the million palm trees.
In addition, Bahrain will be the only country to showcase traditional practices in regards to nutrition and local food in line with the objective to raise awareness and to enhance visitors’ knowledge and discovery of Bahrain. For this purpose, a selection of Bahraini food items prepared by Italian chefs was presented at the pavilion coffee shop. Thus, Bahrain pavilion ambassadors will share a favorite recipe and its associated memory for inclusion in a cookbook, which will be sold both in Milan and Bahrain as part of the program of activities undertaken for the Bahrain Pavilion.
Themed ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’, the Expo Milano 2015, which is a non-profit commercial worldwide exhibition, revolves around nutrition and sustainability, highlighting the importance of protecting the planet’s natural resources. The various national pavilions shed light on the diverse cultural characters of countries around the world, allowing visitors to sample traditional foods and learn more about the cultural attributes and agrarian heritages of different nations.
Open from May 1 to October 31 with 184 days of events, the Expo 2015 will host over 140 participants (144 countries and 3 international organizations) in an area covering one million square meters to accommodate over 20 million visitors expected.
