Expo 2000, the World's Fair to be held in Hannover this year
This year, for the first time ever, Germany will host a World’s Fair, in Hanover, between June 1 and October 31. The city anticipates some 40 million visitors to EXPO 2000, the first World Exposition in the new millennium. Nearly 200 countries and international organizations are eager to present their cultures and visions of the future. In the past, such fairs celebrated technological progress by featuring spectacular innovations (just think of the Eiffel Tower that was built for the 1900 Paris World’s Fair). Organizers of EXPO 2000 wish to show that this concept has changed dramatically, that the new type of World’s Fair endeavors to focus on how technology can be employed to create a balance between humankind and nature. Pavilions made of paper, wood and other natural materials will turn the Hanover site into a display of architectural achievements. A diverse cultural program will ensure that the entertainment aspect is not neglected. Highlights include a 21-hour performance of Goethe’s Faust, a pyrotechnical spectacle staged every evening after sunset, countless dance, music and film performances and exotic specialties served in each country’s pavilion. Munich will be represented by a beer tent that accommodates 3,000 guests, replete with an oompah band and a spit for roasting ox. For information, visit www.expo2000.de/englisch.