The previous edition of World EXPO was EXPO 2020, held in Dubai, UAE. This year EXPO shall be held in Osaka, and is therefore knowns as EXPO 2025 Osaka. Today we’ll take a closer look at the history of World EXPO.

World EXPO History

The history of EXPO dates back even to 1790s when the “first industrial exhibition on the occasion of the coronation of Leopold II as king of Bohemia, took place in Clementinum” (wikipedia.org). It would be simply hard to list all fairs that took place until that time, because they were held almost every year.

It's important to note that the first officially recognized World Expo was the Great Exhibition of 1851, held in London, UK. The event took place in Hyde Park, inside the iconic Crystal Palace, a grand glass and iron structure built specifically for the occasion.

If we move close to the present, and take a look at 20^th and 21^st century it’s worth to emphasize the following exhibitions:

• Expo 1929 (Barcelona, Spain) - Introduced Modernist architecture to the world.

Exhibition in Seville and Barcelona

Spanish Sahara - 1929/02/15

• Expo 1939-40 (New York, USA) – "The World of Tomorrow" – One of the most significant expos of its time, showcasing futuristic concepts such as television and fluorescent lighting.
• Expo 1958 (Brussels, Belgium) – "The Atomic Age" – The first Expo held after World War II, emphasizing post-war optimism and the potential of nuclear energy. One of its most iconic features was the Atomium, a giant representation of an iron molecule that remains a major landmark today.

World Exhibition Brussels

Belgium 1958/02/04

• Expo 1970 (Osaka, Japan) – "Progress and Harmony for Mankind" – The first World Expo held in Asia, highlighting advancements in technology and cultural exchange. It introduced early mobile phones, maglev trains, and a precursor to the internet.

World EXPO Osaka 1970

Japan – 1970/03/14

• Expo 2010 (Shanghai, China) – "Better City, Better Life" - The biggest World Expo in history, drawing over 73 million visitors.

Shanghai Expo 2010

China - 2009/05/01

World EXPO 2025: Osaka

As mentioned, The World Expo is a global event that happens every five years, where countries display their newest and most exciting inventions and innovations. These include a variety of fields, such as technology, architecture, and many others.

The World Expo 2025 (also known as the world's fair) will be held in Osaka, Kansai, Japan, from April 13 to October 13, 2025 at Yumeshima Island. The event is expected to attract about 28 million visitors. The main theme of the expo is "Designing Future Society for Our Lives", with three focus areas: "Saving Lives," "Empowering Lives," and "Connecting Lives." This will be Osaka's second time hosting the World Expo, 55 years after the 1970 Expo, and 20 years since Japan hosted the event in Aichi in 2005.

Expo 2025 Osaka

Japan - 2024/04/12

We can expect to see many exciting innovations in the following areas:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Robotics
• Green Technology & Energy Efficiency
• Biotechnology & Smart Healthcare
• Autonomous Vehicles & Urban Planning
• Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) & Metaverse.

Expo 2027 Belgrade

Serbia – 2024/04

Today we’ve seen a bit of history related to World EXPO fairs, and what we can expect from World EXPO 2025. It’s worth to notice the EXPO 2027 shall be held in Belgrade, Serbia.