By KYIV. Nov 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking via video link at the 17th General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), proposed to hold EXPO 2030 in Odesa.
"I am honored to represent the Ukrainian candidacy for the World Expo 2030. To represent Odesa – and therefore the entire Black Sea region. Why it should be Odesa, Ukraine and the Black Sea? This year Ukraine has become a global example of courage. And billions of people for all continents have seen what Ukrainian invincibility means and why Russian terror will not achieve its goal. And they will see how Ukraine will become a model of restoration," Zelensky said.
According to him, by 2030, when the Ukraine Recovery Plan, with the involvement of foreign partners, will demonstrate a significant part of the planned results, it will be in Ukraine that it will be possible to see what humanity is capable of in an environment where all peoples cooperate for peace, security and a comfortable future.
"And this, by the way, is the fundamental meaning of the World Exhibitions. The reality of our state and the spirit of the World Exhibitions will coincide as much as possible – in Ukraine in 2030," he said.
The President said that even now the Black Sea region of Ukraine is one of the key guarantors of world stability, which was brought to light by the Ukrainian grain export initiative and will soon be consolidated by the Grain from Ukraine international humanitarian project for the countries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
"All of them and many others will know why Odesa and the Black Sea are so important. We will save millions of people. Odesa will save millions of people thanks to the work of its ports," Zelensky said.
He also said that Ukraine helped the unification of Europe, overcoming many internal contradictions.
"And together with the Ukrainian strength, Europe will become a truly independent and strong global player. 2030 is the time to celebrate this. Together with all Europeans," the president added.
"When you visit Ukraine and our Odesa in 2030, you will be able to feel the strength, freedom and culture of not just one country and one city. You will feel the potential of all mankind. That’s why 2030. That’s why Odesa, Ukraine and the Black Sea. That’s why World Expo. Let the victory of freedom and our desire for peace be visible," Zelensky said.
According to him, it was Ukrainian Odesa that for centuries has been closely linked by its economy and culture with Turkey and Romania, Georgia and Bulgaria, Moldova and other countries of the region and the world, and it is a city that has always been multinational and multicultural.
