Expo 2025 tackles global challenges with global dialogue through eight Theme Weeks
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is using a thematic format to address global issues such as climate change, mobility, and digital transformation. Eight Theme Weeks will structure the six-month event, aiming to move beyond exhibitions and foster debate on long-term challenges.
In partnership with Theme Weeks at Expo 2025 Osaka
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00:48Thinking ahead, together, that's what makes a World Expo unique.
00:54It gives small nations and overlooked issues a global stage.
01:01Theme weeks help turn ideas into action.
01:09The goal? Sparking lasting awareness, long after the Expo ends.
01:14The idea is for the public to watch this content, feel something, and let that spark change in the world.
01:21That, to me, is the true value and impact of the theme weeks.
01:27First up, co-creating cultures for the future.
01:30How can cultural heritage help heal divided societies?
01:33Japanese architect, So Fujimoto, designed the Grand Ring.
01:39The world's largest wooden structure, two kilometres around, 700 metres wide.
01:45This ring could be the symbol of the diversity and the unity together.
01:50So that's why I made this as a pure circle shape.
01:54The most simplest shape in the world, in a sense.
01:59All the national pavilions are within this ring and then stay together to create our future.
02:07This junction of the columns and the beams is based on the traditional Japanese architecture,
02:12but reinforced by the metal pieces so that this kind of scale is possible.
02:17And also, we can follow to the latest regulations against the earthquakes.
02:23Fujimoto also designed the Forest of Tranquility at the centre of the Expo.
02:31A symbol of harmony between people and nature.
02:34There, Argentinian artist, Leandro Ehrlich, presents his infinite garden.
02:40We need to reinforce and support diversity.
02:45Diversity, diversity in terms of species, diversity in nature and diversity in social context.
02:54Mirrors in this world are reflecting plants, are reflecting ecosystems.
02:58And when people go into the centre, in the axis of the installation,
03:02what they see is themselves and others.
03:05So it's a work that, in a way, invites to encounter,
03:09which is what the expo, is the spirit of this expo, is about.
03:15Another highlight, a deep dive into manga and Japanese anime culture.
03:24The Minister of State for Cool Japan's strategy even made a special appearance,
03:28in costume, accompanied by his cosplay ambassador.
03:32Anime will be used as a gateway and starting point to go to the region and enjoy their food.
03:39I've been doing cosplay for 17 years.
03:43I love anime, games and cosplay.
03:48And I want to share this pop culture with the world.
03:52It was also a chance to spotlight manga and anime tourism, a real booming trend.
03:59Each year in Japan, the sacred land of anime, we select 88 works.
04:04We then work with the local regions to revitalize these areas.
04:09Most of the time, anime takes place in the everyday living spaces of Japanese people.
04:16It's not a stereotypical Japan, but a life-sized, authentic Japan.
04:22I get to see places I usually only see in anime. It's amazing.
04:27Seeing all those manga and the live performance, it made me feel like a kid again.
04:36How will we live together tomorrow in more connected technological and sustainable societies?
04:45The second theme week focused on the future of community and mobility.
04:51It covers urban issues such as smart cities or disaster prevention,
04:56but also transportation-related topics.
04:59There are also broader subjects like space, the metaverse and robotics.
05:06Economist Andres Rodriguez-Pose led thought-provoking talks on sustainable urban development.
05:12When we talk about sustainability, there's always a tendency to think that sustainability is about environment.
05:19And a green transition implies significant economic and social changes that need to be accepted by the population.
05:27If we don't have, let's say, an economic sustainability or we don't have a social sustainability,
05:33what we're going to have is that there's going to be a rejection.
05:35Post-disaster reconstruction was another key topic, including lessons from Fukushima.
05:43Seiichi Sayato, director of the Expo's co-creation program, introduced the concept of FUKO transformation.
05:50When a disaster or a tragic event occurs, it takes strength to overcome it.
05:56But also what's very important is not to return to the original state, but to go much, much further.
06:04I believe it's important for people who share the same philosophy and move at the same pace to come together.
06:11They shouldn't remain in isolated points, but be connected to one another to form a strong and effective whole.
06:19And all this has already led to innovations capable of responding to new disasters, like this robot, which was developed after the Fukushima accident.
06:32Lives were at stake. Normally, robots should have intervened, but in reality, they didn't.
06:40So I decided to start a company to develop and market robots that could actually be useful in real-life situations.
06:53Beyond 5G showcases the next generation of wireless technology.
06:58Smarter, faster, and more connected than ever.
07:01One striking example, communicating with the moon.
07:03I'm still in Osaka, and thanks to these technologies, I'm able to operate some robots on the moon in real time, just as if I was there myself.
07:13AI was front and centre too.
07:16Cathy Hackle, often called the queen of the metaverse, took part in a panel on the next-gen of digital communities.
07:23You're going to start to see more AI beyond just our phones and our computers.
07:27You're going to start to see it in glasses, you're going to see it in headphones, you're going to see it in a lot of different hardware.
07:32And in order for all this hardware to communicate with each other, and for us to communicate with it, we're going to need connectivity that does not currently exist.
07:41A visionary with a practical edge, Cathy Hackle was impressed by the theme week's concept.
07:47It's not just about showcasing architecture or showcasing countries, it is also about bringing human ideas to the centre of the future.
