A Different Tomorrow: RCRC Hosts Seminar on Riyadh Expo 2030

Paris, October 10, 2023: The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, responsible for the Kingdom’s bid to host World Expo 2030, organized a seminar titled “A Different Tomorrow”, in collaboration with Riyadh Expo 2030 team in Paris. The seminar featured notable participants including Her Highness Princess Haifa Al Mogrin, the Delegate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to BIE, His Excellency Bader AlKadi, Vice Minister of Sport, Ms. Jayne McGivern, CEO, Sports Boulevard Foundation, and Mr. Jean Coldefy, URF think tank President. Delegates representing member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) and global experts attended as well.

During the seminar, Her Highness Princess Haifa Al Mogrin emphasized “Riyadh Expo 2030 will contribute to accelerating joint efforts to achieve a different tomorrow for the world as a whole.” She added, “We believe that we can overcome today’s common challenges to gain shared opportunities for the future, and we invite every country, culture, and individual to join us, hand in hand, on this transformative journey towards a different tomorrow.”

For his part, His Excellency Bader AlKadi stated, “To achieve Vision 2030, we are committed to creating a active, and vibrant society through sports. We are working to create diverse ways for people to engage in sports, watch and compete in them, to increase opportunities in these fields.” Furthermore, he added: “Placing technology, innovation, and sustainable development at the heart of our plans, we are creating new experiences through distinctive initiatives led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and the Riyadh Sports System and major projects including what is being prepared for in major project. Our entertainment city, Qiddiyah brings together theme parks, sports venues, racetracks, and beautiful natural parks, and Sports Boulevard, running through the very heart of Riyadh, will bring our commitment to sports to a new level, with over a hundred kilometers of vibrant parks, shaded walkways, trails, cycling tracks, equestrian facilities, sports pitches, which showcase our intention to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, our readiness to work with the world to host the International Expo 2030 confirms that the Kingdom has become a home to successful international events.”

Jayne McGivern, CEO of Sports Boulevard Foundation, stated, “Today, more than half of humanity, 3.5 billion people, live in cities. By 2030, almost 60 percent of the world’s population will be urban dwellers. This rapid urbanization poses environmental, social, and economic challenges, and adversely affects rural-urban interactions.” She also emphasized “the importance of the international community adopting the Sustainable Development Goals on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.” Additionally, she highlighted the significance of the “New Urban Agenda approved in October 2016, which indicates the need to address current and emerging urban challenges and prioritize urbanization in international development policies.”

It is noteworthy that the seminar one of an ongoing series organized by The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), responsible for the Kingdom’s bid to host World Expo 2030, held a seminar in co-operation with Riyadh Expo 2030 team in Paris. The purpose of these seminars is to deliberate on the goals of Riyadh Expo 2030, introduce its central theme and sub-themes, and establish meaningful connections with participating countries to enhance their importance. The seminar also aims to gather ideas, opinions, and inputs from delegates and experts on the relevance of the main theme and sub-themes to them.