Osaka Expo 2025 is Open: Why World Expos Still Matter

A 170-Year Legacy of Innovation and Exchange

One of the most profound experiences I've had at any Expo took place inside the UK Pavilion's 'Yurt of Light' at Expo 2017 in Astana. Stepping into the structure — a reimagining of the traditional Kazakh yurt — I was enveloped by a calming, immersive atmosphere. The installation responded to touch with bursts of light from hundreds of acrylic spokes, while a panoramic projection of shifting landscapes wrapped around the interior. Layered over this was a soundscape composed by Brian Eno, which brought an unexpected sense of serenity and focus. It was meditative, moving, and — in my opinion — remains the most powerful Expo experience I’ve ever encountered. Moments like that remind us why World Expos continue to matter.

World Expos have long brought nations together to share ingenuity and shape the future of global trade and cooperation. The very first — London’s Great Exhibition of 1851 — was championed by Prince Albert and held in the iconic Crystal Palace. It became a showcase for the “Works of Industry of All Nations”, setting the gold standard for collaborative innovation. Since then, these gatherings have revealed world-changing inventions — from the telephone in 1876 to early demonstrations of electric lighting and television. That legacy continues in Osaka.

Facing a Complex Global Landscape

As Expo 2025 Osaka opens its doors, we find ourselves navigating a world marked by both breakthrough and tension. Technology is advancing at a blistering pace — AI is transforming everything from healthcare to logistics, while clean energy solutions are being developed in every corner of the globe. At the same time, global trade remains fragmented. While two-thirds of world trade now flows tariff-free under various agreements, significant duties still hinder trade in key sectors, especially for developing nations. Tariffs, regulatory uncertainty, and geopolitical realignments have redefined the investment climate.

In this shifting context, World Expos are more than exhibitions — they are anchors of cooperation. Expo 2025 Osaka, under the theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives", is designed to be a "People’s Living Lab" — a place where nations and innovators can share, co-create and test solutions to global challenges. It is a timely opportunity to build bridges in an era where global alignment can no longer be taken for granted.

The Power of Face-to-Face Engagement

In an age of virtual summits and digital deal rooms, the irreplaceable value of in-person interaction is easy to overlook. Yet I’ve seen, again and again, the transformative power of face-to-face engagement at Expos. Across my roles — leading national operations at Expo 2017 Astana and the 2019 Beijing Horticultural Expo, and supporting Expo 2015 Milan and Expo 2020 Dubai — I’ve watched informal conversations evolve into trade partnerships, academic collaborations, and investment pipelines.

At Expo 2017, nations rallied around the theme of future energy. A conversation in our pavilion — unplanned, between a regional CEO and a European startup founder — became the foundation for a renewable energy JV that delivered impact long after the gates closed. At the Beijing Horticultural Expo, a British agri-tech firm’s innovation around drought-resistant crops caught the attention of provincial Chinese partners, eventually leading to a joint research initiative.

These are not exceptions. They are the rule. What Expos do — uniquely and powerfully — is bring decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and thinkers into the same room. The result is trust. Collaboration. Momentum. And in the current climate, where transactional diplomacy dominates, such encounters are more vital than ever.

Modern Expos: Catalysts for Real Economic Impact

World Expos today drive tangible outcomes. They generate trade leads, forge joint ventures, and provide fertile ground for investment deals. Take Expo 2020 Dubai, for instance. Despite the challenge of a pandemic postponement, the event resulted in around 70 strategic agreements and memoranda of understanding across sectors from energy to aerospace. The UK alone estimated it unlocked over £188 million in export wins.

Beyond trade deals, Expos have been instrumental in elevating SME participation, encouraging tech transfer, and creating new diplomatic pathways. They also leave behind powerful soft legacies — global brand awareness, city regeneration, and new industry clusters.

From my experience, the most effective Expo strategies are those that see beyond the six-month spectacle. When approached as a long-term platform, a World Expo becomes a launchpad — for partnerships, for policy exchange, and for sustainable growth.

The UK's Expo Story: From Prince Albert to Osaka

Britain’s involvement in Expos is not just historic; it’s foundational. Prince Albert’s vision in 1851 brought the world to London to marvel at industrial progress. In Osaka, the UK continues this legacy with a pavilion themed around “small ideas with the power to change the world.”

Inspired by toy building blocks, the UK Pavilion’s message is clear: innovation happens not in isolation, but through combination. Its modular, inclusive design invites visitors to add their own ideas to a growing collective. And its mascot, PIX — a set of red, white, and blue building blocks — captures the theme with both simplicity and depth.

As someone who has worked across four Expos, I find this message resonates deeply. The breakthroughs I’ve witnessed never began with billion-dollar strategies. They began with small insights — shared in a meeting, over coffee, or across a pavilion floor — and grew through trust, repetition, and shared purpose.

The UK’s call to “Come Build the Future” isn’t just branding. It’s a call to action, rooted in our Expo DNA and our ongoing role as a global convener of ideas.

Conclusion: A Global Stage for Shared Progress

As Expo 2025 Osaka begins, the world has an opportunity — to pause, reflect, and reconnect. Not just as countries or companies, but as collaborators in a common endeavour. World Expos remind us that while the world may feel fractured, progress is still possible when we meet, listen, and build together.

For businesses, policymakers, and global citizens, Osaka offers more than spectacle. It offers strategy. It offers substance. And, crucially, it offers connection. In a time when division makes headlines, World Expos continue to show us what cooperation can achieve.

And for those of us who have walked the halls, curated the showcases, and witnessed the sparks fly between people who might never have otherwise met — we know just how transformative these moments can be.

In the spirit of Prince Albert’s original vision, let’s once again bring the world together — and build a future worthy of the challenges we share.