Written By : PETER LOMAS. Here’s a date you might want to consider: Go to Shanghai, China, in the first week of August.
Support Fiji’s special celebration with the world.
Why August? you ask.
Shanghai Expo 2010 is open.
The biggest expo yet is expected to attract up to 100 million visitors during the next six months.
Our busy Commissioner-General for this, Annie Rogers, is spearheading Fiji’s participation.
The competition for attention is intense. Nearly 200 countries are taking part.
Fiji is not going to be overshadowed.
Ms Rogers says 6 August will be the highlight for Fiji.
It is Fiji’s National Day celebration.
She explains that while the Expo is a six-month-long event it is on this National Day that the Expo spotlight will shine on Fiji. Fiji will be ths star of the Expo that day and on centre stage.
A week of special events have been planned around this, Ms Rogers says.
The National Day proceedings will start with an official opening ceremony followed by traditional welcome ceremonies performed by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, accompanied by Mrs Mary Bainimarama, will lead the Fiji delegation.
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces band and the Kabu ni Vanua musicians-dancers will be amongst the many there.
They are preparing to ensure this is an event to draw the crowds – and make Fiji a name to remember.
A week of celebrations, 2-7 August, are planned.
If you want to go: national carrier Air Pacific has special return fares from Nadi to Shanghai of $1628, plus taxes.
These are valid until 25 September. But they must be bought before the 25th of this month.
Ms Rogers was in Shanghai for the official opening a week ago.
She has told of the enthusiastic early response to Fiji’s eye-catching and warmly welcoming pod in the Pacific Pavilion.
Says Ms Rogers: “Our main objective is to showcase all aspects of Fiji to the world.
“So while the Fiji pod is made up of different products and exhibits from different sectors, the end goal is to promote our country as a whole, and trade and investment opportunities to the world.
Tourism
“We are going to show the world the outstanding beauty of our islands and the true hospitality of the Fijian people making Fiji a perfect tourist getaway.”
Prime Minister Bainimarama has given strong support to the national participation.
He says during a special congratulatory video to China’s National Organising Committee: “Fiji is honoured to be part of such an event.
“The innovations and interactions of cross-cultural dialogues that we are privy to at this Expo epitomises this year’s theme, Better City, Better Life.
“It signifies our quest to improve, to better the society we live in.
“It reminds us that we must not only provide our nations with basic human needs but also improve and enrich the individual lives for our people, in our respective cities.“

About the
Fiji pod

The Fiji pod is in the Pacific Pavilion, which is near the spectacular China Pavilion.
Ms Rogers says that the Fiji pod aims to visually transport visitors to our culturally rich country.
Its interior includes 14 panels each representing one of the 14 provinces.
The centerpiece is a double-hulled drua canoe and two traditional warriors ushering visitors into the pod.
Ms Rogers explains: “Walking into the heart of the Fiji pod, visitors will begin to understand what Fiji is widely known for – her naturally happy people.”
The pod also showcases a diverse array of Fiji-made products.
They range from the already famous (think Pure Fiji) to the emerging (Virgin Coconut Oil).
Mannequins display the work of Fiji Fashion Week designers.
Visitors also hear about Fiji’s service industries, such as information communication technology and event and conference services.

Dates, facts
to remember

Fiji Pod theme: Building bridges through the Journey.
Pod area: 324 square metres.
Opening: 1 May.
Fiji’s National Day Celebrations: 6 August.
Fiji National Week Events: 2-7 August.

Closing ceremony: 31 October.

Shanghai:
The city

Shanghai means the “City on the Sea.”
It is China’s largest city with a population of more than 20 million.
It lies on the Yangtze River Delta on the Pacific coast.
It is described as the epitome of modern China and maintains impressive annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth.