Here we are: today Expo Milano 2015 opens its doors. "All the pavilions will open for the inauguration", said the managing director Giuseppe Sala, thanks to the extraordinary commitment of the nine thousand workers, technicians and engineers at work 24 hours a day. "Ten million tickets sold - tweeted the premier Matteo Renzi – how strong is Italy that does not give up”. Thirty countries out of the fifty-four owners of autonomous pavilions had completed the work between March and April. In recent days, Türkiye, Russia, Indonesia and Nepal have lagged behind. But even the latter, despite the terrible tragedy that has befallen the small Himalayan country, should be completed in time.
“With the opening of Expo 2015 – Sala said – we will start a collection of funds for the Nepalese populations ?affected by the earthquake”. The eleven thousand-seat Open Theater that will host the Cirque du Soleil show is finished, just as the nine thematic clusters and the eleven buildings that will house restaurants and services have been completed for some time. Completed the Children Park and Cascina Triulza which together with Palazzo Italia is the only building that will continue to exist even after the conclusion of the Expo. The exhibition in Palazzo Italia will be ready and open to visitors, as will Padiglione Zero, which introduces the entire exhibition. In the last few days the laying of the lawns and the sowing of greenery has been completed. Over 40 trees and shrubs had already been planted for weeks. The inauguration of the scenography designed by Oscar winner Dante Ferretti for the decumanus, the main avenue of the Expo, has been postponed to 2 June.
The opening of Expo 2015 was anticipated last night by a concert by Andrea Bocelli from Piazza Duomo in Milan. At 10 today the gates open to the public. At the inauguration, scheduled for 12, Prime Minister Renzi will speak. A greeting message from Pope Francis is expected.
The Milan Charter
In the meantime, last Tuesday, the Milan Charter was presented in the Aula Magna of the State University of Milan, a document that is intended to be the ideal contribution to the Expo. "We consider it unacceptable - declares the paper - that eight hundred million people suffer from chronic hunger, more than two billion are malnourished, while almost two billion are overweight or suffer from obesity". Just as it is unacceptable that "160 million children suffer from malnutrition and stunted growth, while every year about 1,3 billion tons of food produced for human consumption are wasted, more than 5 million hectares of forest disappear every year, more than 30% of the catch is exploited beyond its regeneration capacity”.
Hence the proposal in ten points of the charter, translated into 19 languages, which accompanied, it is hoped, by something like 100 million signatures will be delivered on October 16 to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. An unprecedented appeal that represents the richest legacy of this Expo. Right to food, no to waste, defense of the soil, promotion of correct food and environmental education, fight against child and illegal labor in the fields, defense of biodiversity, funds for research and sharing of results, fight against fraud and unfair commercial practices , clean energy to fight climate change. A utopian agenda? Perhaps, but certainly capable of shaking consciences and pushing governments to agree on some initial measures to combat hunger and waste. Hilal Elver, United Nations Special Rapporteur for the right to food, and Livia Pomodoro, president of the "Milan Center for Food and Law Policy", the documentation and study center on public food regulations and policies, are convinced of this April 27, they met the media in Rome.
An example, certainly small but significant, of how the principles of the Charter can be applied comes from the initiative of the "Ambrosian Refectory". A Caritas and Expo project that combines the theme of nutrition with haute cuisine, art and solidarity. In a new soup kitchen with 96 seats, obtained from the Greek Theater, annexed to the parish of San Martino, in the north-eastern area of Milan, and renovated for this purpose by the Politecnico, throughout May, 40 of the best chefs in the world will create menus with food recovered every day in the pavilions of Expo 2015. The project was born from an idea of chef Massimo Bottura and the curator of the Expo events schedule Davide Rampello. Inside the canteen there will be donated works of art and furniture created by the most important Italian designers. At the end, the structure will remain with Caritas who will use it to accommodate the most needy.
The Expo and art
Important works of art are arriving in Milan to enrich the Expo. From the Quirinale comes the exhibition, curated by Louis Godart, “The Prince of Dreams. Giuseppe in the Medici tapestries of Pontorno and Bronzino”, 20 tapestries that will be presented from 30 April to 23 August in the Sala delle Cariatidi of the Royal Palace gathered together for the first time after they were distributed in 1882 at the behest of the Savoy between Rome and Florence. The exhibition curated by Germano Celant, “Arts & Foods. Rituals since 1851” (April 9-November 1) where food is the star of a journey through history, memory and art.
A central role will be played by the Italian Pavilion. Here the exhibition itinerary on Italian identity will welcome visitors with various works including the statue of the Hora of the Uffizi, Guttuso's Vucciria, the Trapezophoros, Giacomo Balla's Futurist Genius and Vanessa Beecroft's Jennifer. Last, but not least, the fresco of the Diver, from the tomb of the same name, one of the most famous in the archaeological site of Paestum, will be at the Expo from 22 July on the occasion of the exhibition "Nature, myth and landscape from Magna Graecia to Pompeii" .
Expo in the city
All of Milan will be involved, offering Expo visitors four itineraries for 160 events between the days dedicated to guest countries and international events. The first path is that of the National Days of the participating countries, 115 in all: it begins on May 3, with the date dedicated to Turkmenistan, and ends on October 29 with Guinea. The days dedicated to the various countries will see the participation of some of the most important world leaders: from Vladimir Putin (10 June) to Angela Merkel on 18 June and Francois Hollande on 21 June. July 4th (Independence Day) will be United States Day.
In view of the delivery of the Milan card to the UN secretary Ban-ki Moon on 16 October, the path concerning the International Days opens on 9 May with the one dedicated to Europe. The last event in this section is the International Day for the eradication of poverty, scheduled for 17 October. This chapter includes International Day of Families (15 May), World Environment Day (5 June) and Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July).
The Women for Expo itinerary starts on 18 May: meetings such as the Aspen forum on food safety are dedicated to the female world and its role in cultivation and nutrition. Again in the context of women's initiatives, the meeting was held on July 10, 20 years after the Beijing women's conference, organized by the UN, which Hillary Clinton is expected to attend. Finally, the fourth route, the 11 Flavor Festivals: from the Milk Festival (May 29) to the Pasta Festival (October 19). Furthermore, on 20 June, the "White Night of theater and cinema" event will be held.
At the same time, a busy calendar of concerts and shows, debates, cinema, exhibitions, competitions and sporting events, sports, science, fashion, open farms and agricultural markets. Many appointments ranging from the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition to workshops for children. Dozens of events every day, thousands until October, designed for visitors and also for the Milanese, in the centre, in the suburbs and even outside Milan. The calendar for the first fifteen days, created with the photos from the photo contest, will be presented on Saturday 2 May at the Castello Sforzesco, with the Museo della Pietà Rondanini open to the public free of charge (until 10 May) and with live performances of some of the events in calendar. The same evening and the following evening, the doors of Milan will light up for Expo.
Lights and images of famous artists, from 21 pm, in Porta Ticinese, Porta Venezia and Porta Garibaldi. The program of the first two weeks ranges from Puccini's Turandot at La Scala to the farmer's market at the Red Church, from the opera by Luca Ronconi, Lehman Trilogy, to the Piccolo up to guided visits to the Astronomical Museum, the Botanical Gardens or appointments at the Mercati Generali , at the Fabbrica del Vapore, at the renewed Darsena. Exhibitions at the Museum of Cultures, Palazzo della Ragione and Palazzo Reale “Lombard art from the Visconti to the Sforza”. Among the major events in May then (parallel to the Expo) the arrival of the Giro d'Italia, the world championships in water skiing, canoeing and kayaking at the Idroscalo and games without barriers at the Arena.
Expo and the rest of Italy
But it is the whole country that is committed to offering visitors a thousand opportunities to get to know our country. With VeryBello (the choice of name is perhaps not the happiest), an interactive digital platform, the Expo visitor will be able to choose from over 1300 events, to date, which represent Italy from North to South, from big cities to small villages, from May to October 2015: 300 exhibitions, over 200 music and concert events, more than 250 events including dance, theater and opera. And again: about 500 events gathered between initiatives for children, literary, jazz and cinema festivals, itineraries and traditional festivals. A number destined to grow for a project that was born specifically for Expo, but which has the aim of lasting.
Thanks to the contribution of the Mibact and of Regions and Municipalities, an open network was born capable of guaranteeing continuity to the project, even at the end of the Exhibition. Festivals, Cinema, Music and Concerts, Jazz, Theater, Exhibitions, Dance, Traditional Festivals, Tourist Itineraries, Books, Children, Opera: twelve cultural containers, constantly updated, provide in detail the main information of the event and its geolocation, allowing you to share the event itself on social networks. A tool that was born today in Italian and will soon be available in English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, German and French, to promote Italy.
The Expo on television
Anyone who cannot be directly present will still be able to participate in front of the TV. Today 30 April, on Rai Uno, Expo 2015 – The opening, an evening event for the Expo hosted by Paolo Bonolis and Antonella Clerici. Many guests who will perform from Piazza del Duomo in Milan: Andrea Bocelli, the pianist Lang Lang, the soprano Diana Damrau, the tenor Francesco Meli, the baritone Simone Piazzola, the soprano Maria Luigia Borsi, accompanied by the choir and orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala and the Orchestra of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala.
On the morning of May 11st, on Rai Uno, from 2015 onwards, the live broadcast of the inauguration of Expo 1. Broadcast in a special on TG2015, the ceremony will take place at the Expo's Open Air Theater: speakers will the others the Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the sole administrator of Expo 5 Giuseppe Sala and the president of the Bureau International des Expositions, Ferdinand Nagy. A live connection with Pope Francis is foreseen for the blessing of the event. In the evening live on Rai 19,40 from XNUMX pm Giacomo Puccini's Turandot from the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
