There are 15 days left before the inauguration of Expo 2015 in Milan dedicated to the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" (May 1st – October 31st). On 19 February we outlined the general profile of this extraordinary event; on March 1st with Accenture, on March 6th with Enel and FCA-CHN, on March 11th with Intesa San Paolo and on March 16th with Tim, Finmeccanica and Samsung, we presented the contributions, essential to the success of the event, which they are offering the eight official global partners of Expo 2015: on March 21 we illustrated the Chinese presence; on 31 March the other Corporate spaces: Federalimentare, Kip International School, New Holland Agriculture, and Coca Cola; on April 4 the French pavilion, on April 10 the effects of Expo on the car market and on FCA's contribution to sustainable mobility in the event.
Today we present the cluster, one of the novelties of Expo Milano 2015: for the first time, countries are not grouped into collective pavilions according to geographical criteria, but according thematic identities and food chains. For a standard space (250 square meters on two floors) the rental cost is 290 euros. Also including furnishing and operating costs, the figure comes to 865 thousand euros. A sustainable amount even for the smallest countries which, in some cases, can enjoy further discounts and concessions. For countries that have requested it, double, triple and quadruple solutions are also available, with a maximum total cost for the latter solution of 3.630.000 euros, of which 1.180.000 for rent. The Clusters are characterized by common areas, which develop the food chain through functional spaces (market, exhibition, events, tastings).
RICE
Covering a total area of 3.546 square meters, the Cluster represents a "miniature" rice field where a botanical exhibition presents areas cultivated with different types of rice. In the common area, kiosks for the distribution of rice and between the tanks that mimic the rice fields, an interactive game takes place for all visitors. Rice is the staple food for nearly three billion people, about half of the world's population. Thanks to its adaptability, it can grow almost anywhere and can be taken to different parts of the world. Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Myanmar, Laos People's Democratic Republic participate in the Rice Cluster.
COCOA AND CHOCOLATE
The impression is that of entering a jungle. In the common area, a series of poles of different heights and shapes are the metaphor of the trees under which the cocoa grows. On a total area of 3.546 square meters, drawings, icons and images on panels represent the history of cocoa: from cultivation to processing, from distribution to transport. The Cluster is crossed by a main route which connects the area reserved for tasting and relaxation to the events area and the area dedicated to gastronomic performances. Cocoa has been cultivated for millennia by many pre-Columbian populations and has played a central role in the food and culture of the Mayas and Aztecs. More than thirty developing countries produce it and for their economy it represents the main source of income. Participating in the Cacao and Chocolate Cluster are Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Gabon, Ghana, Sao Tome Principe.
COFFEE'
The architecture of the spaces recalls the highest branches of the trees in the shade of which the coffee plants grow, while the pavilions are a metaphor for their trunks. The Coffee Cluster is curated by illycaffè, official coffee partner of EXPO 2015 which brings to this project the knowledge, experience and relationships gained in over eighty years of history. Created in agreement with the International Coffee Organization (ICO), the pavilion tells the past, present and future of coffee in its three dimensions: the product and its journey from bean to cup; the creativity, art and culture that develop around the cup of coffee; the stories and traditions of the growing and consuming countries. Over a total area of 4.427 square meters, the Cluster offers an exhibition itinerary in five stations: the greenhouses, the transport, the roasting, the bar, the meeting area. The itinerary begins in the green space set up with coffee plants, the scene of the photographic exhibition by Sebastião Salgado. The cultivation, processing, trade, transport and marketing of coffee employ hundreds of millions of people around the world. In the world economy, coffee is second in value only to oil as a source of foreign currency for producing countries. Burundi, El Salvador, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Yemen, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Dominican Republic participate in the Coffee Cluster.
FRUIT AND LEGUMES
The spaces, the products of the countries and the architectural structures create passages and plays of light and shadow, giving the visitor the sensation of being in a cultivated forest. Covering a total area of 3.705 square meters, there are areas planted with various fruit trees. Around a central square, the visitor can participate in the events and follow the thematic installations. At the end of the visit, you can get to know and buy the products in the market, which is the element of union between this Cluster and the Spice Cluster. Fruits and Legumes have always been consumed. Deeply rooted in cultures all over the world, they have become the subject of myths, legends and traditions everywhere. Legume crops are the major livelihood in developing countries. Due to their central role in agriculture and their caloric intake, legumes are the ideal crop for reducing poverty and hunger, improving health and nutrition conditions. The Benini Fruit and Legumes Cluster includes Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Kyrgystan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uzbekistan, Zambia.
SPICES
Follow the spice routes across continents, lands and seas. smelling their perfume, thinking of them as an ingredient in cooking, a medical remedy or a cosmetic product: all this is the aim of the Spices Cluster. Covering a total area of 3.702 square meters, the exhibition displays the maps that have guided explorers to discover the world and in search of spices, suggesting a journey between cultures that includes tastings, installations and events. In the last decade, the annual production of spices has grown by 4,3%, while trade has had an average increase of 5,8% per year. More demanding consumers, healthier eating habits, increased earnings and globalization will favor a new increase in their trade in the coming years. Participating in the Spice Cluster Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu.
CEREALS AND TUBERS
They are the best known and most widespread fruits of the earth in the world, but few know the long production chain behind Cereals and Tubers. The pavilion accompanies the visitor in a set of colors, surfaces, scents and suggestions that refer to their cultivation. A path that runs through the stands of the various countries and flows into a large covered space that hosts the events and the restaurant offer. Over a total area of 3.820 square meters, the architectural project recalls, in its roof, the shape of a large fireplace that houses an events area and an area dedicated to the distribution of themed dishes. At the end of the visit it is possible to taste typical dishes of the countries belonging to the Cluster and participate in the proposed activities. Cereals are the basis of the diet of the majority of the world's population. Although there are over ten thousand different varieties, only a few continue to be grown. Many of these crops could contribute to sustainably increasing the fertility of marginal lands unsuitable for the cultivation of maize, rice and wheat and thus respond to the increased demand for food in the coming decades. Participating in the Cereals and Tubers Cluster are Bolivia, Congo, Haiti, Mozambique, Togo, Zimbabwe.
BIO-MEDITERRANEAN
The Official Partner of Expo Milano 2015 for the Bio-Mediterranean Cluster is the Sicilian Region. The project is inspired by the image of the Mediterranean city and develops around a large semi-covered square which houses four structures dedicated to the distribution of typical products of this geographical area. Covering a total area of 7.304 square meters, the colored space that holds the pavilions of the individual countries together like islands recalls the image of the Mediterranean Sea. In the central area of the Cluster, the traditional outdoor kitchens offer a selection of typical products of Mediterranean cuisine: olive oil, bread, wine. An exhibition-story on the theme integrates three elements as parts of a single story: images, literature, cinema. The Mediterranean Sea is a melting pot of peoples, a region where histories, societies and natural environments merge. The main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, which has resisted modernity, are the amount of time spent at the table and the many convivial rituals. Even today, the inhabitants of the Mediterranean basin spend more time preparing and consuming food than any other people. Participating in the Cluster are Albania, Algeria, Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Malta. Montenergo, San Marino, Serbia, Tunisia.
ISLANDS, SEA AND FOOD
The roar of the water, the crunching of the gravel, the beating on the wood accompany the visitor throughout the visit, restoring the harmony that characterizes these lands. Covering a total area of 2.535 square metres, a large bamboo roof overhangs and unites the two pavilions hosting the participating countries, welcoming visitors in a unique environment in terms of color and atmosphere. Author's phrases – from Homer to Conrad, from Christopher Columbus to Darwin and Melville – dot the external walls of the pavilions, evoking suggestions of islands, seas, travels. At the end of the path, the visitor finds himself in front of the restaurant area and the events area, a cube in which underwater images are projected. Small, distant, different from each other, the islands have in common the concerns linked to global climate change: increase in coastal flooding, soil salinity, erosion, changes in rainfall that put these "last paradises" at risk. Barbados, Belize, Cape Verde, Comoros, Caribbean Community, Dominica, Grenada, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Madagascar, Maldives, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname participate in the Islands, Sea and Food Cluster.
ARID AREAS
The sandstorm in the desert inspires the design of the Cluster. It is the symbol of the difficulty of living and exploiting the territory of arid areas where, however, there are still hidden vital resources. Over a total area of 4.030 square meters, the visitor to the Cluster encounters an oasis with a water fountain in the common area where he can attend events and performances and learn more about the characteristics of arid areas, their problems and resources. At the end of the Cluster is the market, where it is possible to buy and taste the fruits that these lands are incredibly able to produce. A fifth of the population lives in areas characterized by water scarcity. Various solutions have been promoted and used as an approach to the integrated management of water resources: from rainwater collection to ground water conservation, to the recovery of traditional cultivation techniques. Participating in the Arid Zone Cluster are Eritrea, Djibouti, Mauritania, Mali, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Jordan.
