PARIS — Saudi Arabia is making elaborate and foolproof preparations to hold an official reception for 179 countries in the French capital, Paris, in the presence of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, June 19, as part of the Kingdom's bid to host the International Expo 2030 in the city of Riyadh. The reception is held to officially present Saudi Arabia's candidacy to host Expo 2030. The ceremony is one of the important events that countries bidding to host the global event hold in the presence of representatives from the International Exhibitions Bureau (The Bureau International des Expositions). Voting will take place next November to choose the host city. An exhibition will be held on the sidelines of the ceremony. Through this exhibition, the attendees will take a virtual trip to Riyadh in 2030, and it will include projects that will be ready before the launch of Expo 2030. The exhibition will highlight the distinction of Saudi Arabia's geographical location in the heart of the world, as well as the richness and originality of its culture and heritage, the weight of the Saudi economy and the Kingdom's foreign policy, in addition to Saudi Arabia's distinctive infrastructure and tourism potential. A high-ranking Saudi delegation, members of the international diplomatic corps based in Paris, ambassadors of countries accredited to UNESCO, representatives of major participating entities and projects, representatives of member states to the Bureau International des Expositions, and senior French officials in the government and private sectors will participate in the reception. The Riyadh Expo 2030 aims to provide an exceptional global experience for participants and millions of visitors. It is expected that 40 million visitors will attend the event, in addition to a billion visits via virtual reality. The total area of the exhibition is one million square meters, and there will be 226 participants, representing international pavilions and global organizations.
