bout de papier, Vol. 5, No. 1 (1987) — Spring 1987 // Printemps 1987, pp. 22–23
A number of members of the Department of External Affairs were significantly involved in the 1986 World Exposition. The list ranged from the Minister himself, under whose authority the Exposition was held, to the Information Assistant in Dakar. Indeed there would have been a very unbalanced roster of participating nations at the EXPO 86 opening on 2 May 1986 if some Heads of Mission and their staffs had not mounted sustained selling campaigns in countries that were not initially convinced about the opportunity offered them. Everyone involved can take satisfaction from the fact that, by the time EXPO 86 ended on 13 October 1986, every single participant reported that the venture had been well worthwhile.
By every statistical measurement the 1986 World Exposition was the most outstanding specialized exposition ever held. It attracted fifty-seven international participants, nine domestic governments and a vast array of corporate support, including six major pavilions. Over 22 million visits were recorded, and well over two thousand special events, conferences and symposia were held in conjunction with EXPO 86. Almost 100,000 performers — ranging from opera singers to motorcyclists — entertained close to 8 million patrons.
There were four essential elements in this success. First, there was the political will to host the Exposition well, to provide an adequate budget and to accept that there would inevitably be a deficit. Second, there was sufficient belief by enough participating governments that the timing, theme, location, market and preparations for EXPO 86 merited a positive response. Third, the Exposition was well designed, with an efficient infrastructure and a solid marketing program. Fourth, there was an extraordinary effort to maintain the integrity of the theme of transportation and communications.
There were a number of distinctive features of EXPO 86 that bear examination. There was a preoccupation that developing countries be well and honourably represented. The Government of Canada became materially involved in this endeavour.
22 bout de papier Vol. by Commissioner General Patrick Reid regions of the world were featured and the result was a triumph. These countries lent both style and conscience to the Exposition. They received cooperation and friendship from a solid array of traditional industrialized participants whose presence, and contribution at Vancouver were superlative.
All regions of the world were featured…the result was a triumph.
There was a need to cater to two audiences — the general public and, even more important, the audience that is professionally interested in the theme. To ensure the latter, an experiment was undertaken. The theme was broken down into fourteen components and each had a “specialized period”, when that particular sub-theme was examined exhaustively in seminars, demonstration projects and pavilions. Without this sort of concentration on the theme it is increasingly difficult for industrialized nations to justify their presence in a specialized exposition with a technical theme. The dilemma is that a proper preoccupation with the theme can discourage the large, general, paying audience which is required to justify the holding of such an exposition in the first place. EXPO 86 was very successful in attracting a general audience; and a considerable effort was mounted to attract the vital specialized audience, with reasonable success.
Paradoxically the pursuit of a massive general audience, in the end 60% greater than the 13.75 million visits predicted in the original budget, did nothing to ease the anticipated deficit of about $300 million; revealing, at best, an undue optimism about per capita revenues.
There was the need to ensure that the Exposition would be meaningful in its prime function of focussing a peaceful congregation of nations on a theme of importance to humankind. In two unique, illustrative ways this came to pass. There was an outstanding Symposium Series, called “Tomorrow Begins Today”, which opened in January 1984 and concluded in May 1986. Out of it has come a concrete, feasible and internationally-supported plan to initiate a World Union of Transport in 1987. The founding conference will be in Vancouver.
On an entirely different plane, the wonderful young people who came to Vancouver in the glorious summer of 1986 created their own sense of community. They revelled in cultural happenings like the Drum Festival, when groups and individual drummers played together, some 200 drummers in all from twenty-four countries — the first time such a gathering had happened in history. The young people created their own “Peace Choir” and sang together during the closing ceremony, when the staffs of pavilions exchanged flags as they entered the stadium, so that spectators were soon unable to determine which individuals belong to which pavilion.
EXPO 86 was worth all the expended on it.
For these sublime reasons alone, EXPO 86 was worth all the time, money and effort expended on it. And certainly Vancouver, British Columbia and Canada benefitted considerably from hosting it. Few previous expositions have had virtually unanimous local support, a wonderful setting, no security, transportation or accommodation problems, a strong involvement from across the host nation, splendid weather, positive media commentary both at home and abroad, great pavilions and entertainment and happy and relaxed visitors.
EXPO 86 took place at a time when there was a general belief — certainly among North American commentators — that the world exposition medium was in jeopardy. The resources required to mount a successful event were immense, other means of communication had become more immediate, relevant and manageable and the search for participants who would exhibit significantly at what had become annual events (1984, New Orleans; 1985, Tsukuba; 1986, Vancouver; 1987, Milan; 1988, Brisbane) was becoming frantic. While it is conceded by virtually all observers that EXPO 86 in Vancouver retrieved the credibility of the medium as a viable means of international cooperation it is likely that this retrieval will be short-lived if the International Bureau of Expositions as well as the organizers of future expositions fail to face up to some pressing issues.
The paramount concern must be that an exposition fulfills the objectives of the participants as comprehensively as it seeks to meet the aspirations of the organizers. This means that participants should be treated as partners rather than as concessionaires, that the terms of participation as announced at the outset be rigorously fulfilled and, if required, interpreted in favour of the legitimate needs and concerns of the participating Commissioners General; and that the theme be the dominant characteristic of the creative development of a specialized exposition, even if this limits to some extent its appeal to the general public. This in turn, unfortunately, calls into question the fundamental nature of the specialized exposition, since no recent event of this description has survived, or indeed could survive, without the widest possible range of visitor and media support.
The continued absence of rigorous adherence to the Convention will inevitably lead to the demise of the specialized world exposition.
Also of great concern is the repeated assertion of participating nations, certainly without exception since EXPO 70 Osaka, that the host national government must exercise authority over a world exposition commensurate with its obligations under the 1928 Convention, and its responsibility as the government that invited other national governments to join in a great international endeavour. The unfettered delegation of that responsibility has again, without exception, brought local considerations to the fore; leading inevitably to frustrations and misunderstandings on the part of the participants. While the problems may often be petty, and readily enough settled, their very existence leads to a diversion from the main purpose of the exposition, and the lessening of resolve among participants to contribute to the maximum to that main purpose. The persistence of the International Bureau of Expositions in permitting the alternative scenario of a world exposition being mounted without such direct host government control has contributed to the proliferation of specialized world expositions and to their relative lack of support and success. The continued absence of rigorous adherence to the Convention mentioned, which demands that the inviting national government be accountable, will inevitably lead to the demise of the specialized world exposition, and the probability that the universal world exposition will either suffer from the same fate or have its nature radically altered. Inherent in this dissertation is the implication that there are too many world expositions, and that there is a very real limit to the ability or desire of nations to participate routinely in them. For those of us who cherish the medium for what it has done, and can do, for understanding and peace in this turbulent world, there is a great anxiety that these concerns be faced squarely, and that future world expositions be made so rare, so unique, so compelling and so well founded as to ensure that nations will look forward with enthusiasm to the opportunity to participate in them.
The Government of Canada would have to establish and run the Crown Corporation required to operate any future such event in this country.
It is, of course, relatively easy for the retiring Commissioner General of a world exposition that has met most of the important criteria for international and local success, to speak forth with equanimity. However, it should be noted that – even with adequate financing and an impeccable attitude on the part of the Governments of Canada and British Columbia — there were innumerable differences, both large and small, between the pragmatic machinery of the local EXPO 86 organization and the more sublime aspirations of the creative minds and hearts of Canadian and foreign participants. A more secure base, and basis for mutual understanding, would have been desirable. These are readily enough attainable at future world expositions if the preceding thesis is followed
This would mean, for example, that the Government of Canada would have to establish and run the Crown Corporation required to operate any future such event in this country. Such an obligation would be mandatory even if, as was the case at EXPO
86, the national host government was not itself funding the exposition.
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 5, No. 1 (1987) — Spring 1987 // Printemps 1987, pp. 22–23. Read the rest of this issue →
