Everyone is talking about it and will continue to do so, at least while waiting for it to kick off, after which instead of talking about it, it will be lived: needless to specify that we are talking about Expo 2015. But what is it concretely?
First of all, a universal exposition that will kick off on May 1, 2015 and end on October 31 of the same year. For six months, sixty pavilions and dedicated areas will explore a theme that is very sensitive to date: Feeding the Planet. Energy for Life.
This is the official title of the event, although we understand that to call it only an 'event' is somewhat reductive, which for half a year will make Milan the showcase of the whole of Italy, an opportunity to make ourselves known, qualifying us in the rising sector of the national economic panorama: food. That Italians live on culinary excellence is clear all over the world, but are we really capable of investing in it, making it known, enhancing it and imposing it on the global market? The time has come to prove it and, we hope, to start right here, from what we do best.
The numbers speak for themselves: as many as 20 million visitors from around the world are expected, with a total involvement of as many as 140 countries that will participate by exhibiting their history, culture but also their innovations.
The exhibition site will cover an area of about one million square meters, in which dedicated areas will explore key themes such as economic, scientific and social issues related to food production and consumption. This will be framed by spaces dedicated to entertainment, meeting points, water mirrors and canals, as well as botanical parks and, of course, areas dedicated to the little ones, ending with multi-sensory and interactive trails.
The structure of the exhibition area is inspired by the Roman castrum, that is, it sees the intersection of two perpendicular axes, Cardo and Decumanus. Along this path will be established the pavilions and on their intersection will be born Piazza Italia, perhaps the most emblematic place of the whole fair, as a symbolic meeting point between the Belpaese and the whole world.
To understand what all this means in concrete terms, we will have to wait a little more than a year, but in the meantime, we too are working to make our contribution to such an important and unique event, giving birth to a column in our magazine, in which we will include a list of medium-small companies that are not as well known as the big national brands but constitute excellence in the Italian food&beverage sector and allow this wonderful country to boast such an important tradition.
