Nakamura: Expo 2027 Belgrade Will Set a New Standard for Organizing Expos
Toshio Nakamura, one of the most influential strategists of World Expos over the past decades, whose work significantly shaped the evolution of Expos following his historic leadership of Expo 2005 Aichi, visited Belgrade 8 - 10 December, on the occasion of officially assuming his new role as Advisor to the Director of EXPO 2027 d.o.o. Belgrade, a position he will perform pro bono.
Two decades ago, Nakamura led Expo 2005 Aichi under the theme “Wisdom of Nature,” which placed the relationship between humanity and nature at its core and introduced the world to pioneering innovations such as humanoid robots, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and the large-scale application of virtual reality—setting new standards for contemporary World Expos.
During his visit to Belgrade, Nakamura toured the Expo 2027 Belgrade construction site to review the progress of works. In discussions with the company’s Director, Danilo Jerinić, he emphasized that he sees strong potential in Expo 2027 to establish a new model for international exhibitions, while opening broad opportunities for Serbia to strengthen international connections and partnerships.
“I believe that Expo Belgrade 2027 will set a new model for international exhibitions. One of the reasons lies in its themes—sport, music, and humanity. Visitors will be participants, not merely observers. This makes it a new, participation-based exhibition model. For Serbia, this will mean many new international connections,” Nakamura said, congratulating the organizers on the record number of confirmed participating countries.
Jerinic higlighted that Nakamura’s engagement represents a strong confirmation of the growing international reputation of the Expo 2027 Belgrade project.
„Nakamura’s involvement in our preparations is a significant recognition for the entire team. His experience and strategic vision are invaluable for the development of the first international exhibition in the Western Balkans. As we enter the final phases of project implementation, it is especially important that we can rely on an expert who led one of the most successful Expos in modern history,” Jerinić stated.
Nakamura also stressed the particular importance of the fact that a country the size of Serbia is hosting an Expo for the first time, noting that this step sends a powerful message of encouragement to other countries that they, too, can organize such a global event. It is precisely this inspirational potential, he added, that is why he values the Expo 2027 Belgrade project so highly.