Astana. Prototype of the Eurasian city

n 1997, it was decided to move the Kazakh capital from Almaty to Akmola, today known as Astana, which stands for “Capital” in Kazakh. Together with local companies, the new capital was built by Turkish, Italian, French and Swiss companies. Every year 60 to 100 middle and large size facilities were built. Rapid construction and widespread popular support made it possible to build a modern city in the steppes of Kazakhstan in the space of 10 years. Another 10 years later, Astana becomes the host city EXPO 2017 which is a recognized EXPO, also referred to as an international specialized EXPO, and is part of the World’s Fair system. Recognized EXPOs are smaller versions of the Universal EXPOs commonly referred to as World’s Fairs. Recognized EXPOs center around a particular theme and are held between World’s Fairs, which occur every five years. Kazakhstan has chosen the theme “Future Energy”. EXPO 2017’s Future Energy theme will promote efforts to find sustainable energy solutions to meet growing global demand.

Kazakhstan’s choice of the topic reflects the recognition by the country’s leaders and policymakers that even its vast reserves of natural energy resources are ultimately finite and that eventually the country, and the rest of the world, will have to make the transition to alternative energy sources and greener economies.

The organizing committee in Astana is expecting 5 million visitors during the 3 month’ runtime from 10 June until 10 September, 2017. The planning so far promises visitors an impressive fiction of the future way of life of the people on earth, which are divided into 5 thematic areas.

The entire EXPO site is conceived under sustainability aspects.

2017’s

Thematic pavilions are the key objects demonstrating the theme of the exhibition, where each of the four pavilions reveals its theme:

The pavilion World of Energy presents energy as a separate phenomenon and reveals possible solutions for a more sustainable energy development in the future with the help of physics, science experiments, etc.

The pavilion Energy for the Future illustrates the concept of energy saving and energy efficiency. A separate exposition is dedicated to the practical aspects of smart cities, presenting the pro ject Smart Astana etc.

The pavilion Energy for All presents the mechanisms of access to energy for the planet’s inhabitants, research of energy market globalization etc.

The pavilion “My Future Energy” focuses on personal responsibility for efficient and economical use of energy.

The fifth area is reserved for Country presentations where all kind of solutions to the theme of future Energy were shown.

IFES Travels to EXPO 2017 and conti nues on the silk road.

As always World EXPOs are a sour ce of inspiration for the exhibition and event industry. To see new trends and discuss them with colleagues from around the world IFES is offering a Trip to EXPO 2017. VIP status to avoid cues, background information on different presentations and a look behind the scenes of a World EXPO are coming along with this trip. And inspiration might raise when traveling from the modern Astana to parts of the oldest trade route the Silk Road in Uzbekistan.

The Silk Road was one of the most important trade routes in the Middle Ages and led from the Mediterranean via Uzbekistan to China. Since then, it has been connecting Europe and Asia. In the world-famous Registan of Samarkand, Prince Timur once judged his people. Centuries later it became Turkestan, then part of the Soviet Union and finally the Republic of Uzbekistan in 1991. Today, there are green instead of red passports, a new national anthem, the official language is Uzbek. What is left are Breathtaking minarets, medresen and mosques telling of the campaigns and conquests of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlan. So, inspiration will be guaranteed.

TEXT IFES

Travel Plan

EXPO Astana

16 – 19 August 2017

DAY 1 Arrival in Astana

DAY 2 + 3 Full packed EXPO program incl. VIP- program

1 Person (Single room) € 1.590,Spouse (Double room) € 950,-

Silk Road

19 – 25 August 2017

DAY 1 Travel to Tashkent, Uzbekistan

DAY 2 Tashkent, drive to Samarkand

DAY 3 Samarkand

DAY 4 Samarkand, drive to Bukhara

DAY 5 Bukhara

DAY 6 Bukhara return to Tashkent

DAY 7 Individual Depart from Tashkent

1 Person (Single room) € 1.990,Spouse (Double room) € 1.550,-