Following Usain Bolt, the fastest man of all time, and Jackie Chan, one of the most recognizable figures in the global film industry, the team of Expo 2027 ambassadors is now joined by Lin Dan, a two-time Olympic champion, five-time world champion, and a man many consider the greatest badminton player of all time.
One of Asia’s most renowned sports personalities, Lin Dan belongs to a rare group of athletes who have won every major title in their sport. Throughout his career, he became a symbol of professionalism, discipline, dedication, and fair play, and his influence has long extended beyond the boundaries of sports arenas. This is precisely why his inclusion in the Expo 2027 ambassador team is of special significance, as it connects sporting excellence, strong international recognition in countries from which many visitors are expected next year, and, more broadly, the values that form the foundation of the theme “Play for Humanity.”
The Expo 2027 ambassador platform is also developing through a strong domestic foundation within the volunteer program, represented by Tijana Bogdanović, a two-time Olympic medalist in taekwondo, and Milan Glušac, goalkeeper of the Serbian national water polo team. With the arrival of Lin Dan, the gathering of individuals whose reputation, recognition, and personal example contribute to the global promotion of the Specialized Expo 2027 Belgrade continues.
The particular significance of Lin Dan’s engagement lies in his enormous reputation in Asia, a continent that today represents one of the most important centers of the global economy, technological development, digital innovation, urban growth, sports, cultural production, and international tourism. It is a region where the largest share of the world’s population lives, with the fastest-growing cities, powerful consumer markets, and audiences that increasingly shape global trends in travel, entertainment, sports, and new technologies.
“The progress of humanity is based on cooperation, the exchange of experiences, and mutual learning. Sport speaks a universal language and therefore connects people regardless of where they come from. These are values that I have sought to represent throughout my entire career, and it is an honor for me to continue promoting them as an ambassador of Expo 2027,” said Lin Dan.
Speaking about the new ambassador, Danilo Jerinić, Director of EXPO 2027 d.o.o. Belgrade, emphasized that Lin Dan is a symbol of top achievements, discipline, perseverance, and respect, and that these are also values that connect people regardless of the continent, language, or culture they come from.
"Asia is one of the most important regions for Expo 2027. So far, 27 countries from this part of the world have confirmed their participation, which is why it is important for us to have among our ambassadors personalities whom audiences in Asia recognize and respect. Lin Dan is exactly such a person: an athlete whose reputation, discipline, and career go far beyond the framework of badminton.
At this stage, we are placing a special focus on internationally recognized ambassadors because travel from distant destinations is planned much earlier. That is why it is important for the story of Expo, Belgrade, and Serbia to reach audiences around the world in time. Usain Bolt, Jackie Chan, and Lin Dan speak to different generations, cultures, and markets, while Tijana Bogdanović and Milan Glušac, as ambassadors of the volunteer program, carry the domestic energy of Expo and represent the young people who will be the first face of Serbia to millions of visitors.
In the coming period, the names of well-known Serbian personalities with international reputation and influence will also be presented. It is precisely this combination of global recognition, strong domestic support, and people capable of inspiring diverse audiences that best demonstrates our intention: to present Belgrade to the world and to bring the world to Belgrade in 2027,” concluded Jerinić.
So far, 139 international participants have confirmed their participation in Expo 2027. With more than four million expected visitors, the Specialized Expo 2027 will be the largest international event ever organized in Serbia and the region, as well as the largest event in the world next year.