From New Orleans to Belgrade: How Expo Mascots Capture the Spirit of International Exhibitions

Just as mascots have become iconic symbols of the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup, these charming and colorful characters of various shapes and sizes have, since the Specialised Expo in New Orleans (Louisiana) in 1984, become a lasting legacy of all International Exhibitions under the authority of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE).

Just over 40 years ago, the world was introduced to Seymore D. Fair, the first official Expo mascot. Given that Louisiana is a U.S. state known for its wildlife and that Expo 1984 in New Orleans was held on the banks of the Mississippi River, it felt natural for a cheerful white pelican to become the symbol of the exhibition themed “The World of Rivers – Fresh Water as a Source of Life.”

Since then, mascots have become an essential part of International Exhibitions, with one clear mission: to capture the spirit and character of each event through playful colors and imaginative forms, winning hearts worldwide through a single figure.

At Expo 1988 in Brisbane, Expo Oz appeared, showing the world that Australia is known not only for koalas and kangaroos, but also for platypuses. With his blue bill and a traditional wide-brimmed yellow felt hat, Oz was a tribute to the country's unique wildlife and culture.

Among the most beloved mascots in Expo history is Curro, a large, white, jubilant bird with outstretched wings, a multicolored beak, and a colorful crest. Curro became a symbol of Seville's bright future and its transformation into one of Spain's top tourist destinations. The name of the mascot for Expo 1992 was derived from a common nickname for those named Francisco in Andalusia, and its five colors symbolized the five continents.

Since 1992 also marked the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s discovery of America, the mascot of the Specialised Expo in Genoa was a cat dressed as Christopher Columbus, aptly named Gatto Cristoforo.

But Columbus wasn’t the only seafarer whose spirit was revived through Expo. Just six years later, Lisbon hosted the 1998 Specialised Expo, choosing Gil as its mascot, named after the Portuguese navigator Gil Eanes. This smiling, bluish wave-shaped character paid homage not only to Portugal’s rich maritime history but also perfectly embodied the theme: “The Oceans: A Heritage for the Future.”

Water – the essence of life – continued to inspire International Exhibitions two decades later. At Expo 2008 in Zaragoza, the light-blue, drop-shaped mascot Fluvi, with big black eyes, even appeared in cartoons. Designed as an ecological superhero battling polluters, Fluvi visually captured the essence of the theme “Water and Sustainable Development.”

The most recent Expo held in Italy, in Milan in 2015, focused on agriculture and food production. Its mascot, Foody, remains one of the most colorful in Expo history. Inspired by the works of Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Foody resembled a salad made up of 11 different foods, each of which functioned as an individual mascot.

The mascot for Expo 2025 in Osaka Kansai is the curious and whimsical Myaku-Myaku, composed of red parts representing cells and blue parts symbolizing clean water. Thanks to its fluidity, it can endlessly change shape, making it one of the most unique Expo mascots to date.

And now, we come to the official mascot of the first International Exhibition in the Western Balkans – Expo 2027 Belgrade. It will be visually represented in the Expo almanacs by two charming characters: a boy and a girl dressed in traditional Serbian folk costumes.

While the jelek (vest) and pojas (belt) emphasize traditional elements, modernity is expressed through the “play” symbol on their chests – a clear message that play, movement, and creativity know no boundaries. These superheroes of play promote diversity and tolerance, embodying the universal values that unite us all. Soon, they will receive their official names – and everyone can take part in choosing them!

The naming process is designed to be fun, simple, and dynamic – a search for the names that will become part of history. The voting system includes several rounds in which the public will choose their favorites among the following name pairs:

Rastko and Milica, Momčilo and Tamara, Beo and Bela, Zmaj and Lira, Viktor and Ada, Vitez and Arija, Miha and Nika, Volt and Luna, Ringe and Raja, Eci and Peci, Ritam and Dinamika, Sava and Nada, Zvrk and Čigra.

One of these pairs will tell the world the most beautiful story about Serbia in 2027!