The history of International Exhibitions - EXPO

International Universal Exhibitions EXPO on a scale of social-political and economic importance are unique events due to their brightness comparing with Olympic Games, this is the place of exchange of experience, embodiment of spirit of peaceful cooperation. It is no mere chance that the biggest of them are appreciated by contemporaries as "concentration of more important interests of Mankind", "epoch's ideology", "results of century". International exhibitions have played a certain role in quick development of up-to-date inventions all over the world, broadening the production, increase the goods turnover, improvement the mutual understanding between nations of different countries.

The decision of participation in International exhibitions is reached at government level in every country. Generally, from 150 till 180 countries of the world present their expositions. The number of visitors at the International Universal Exhibitions EXPO equals 40-45 million people.

These indices mark out exhibition EXPO also from the point of view of its influence on the process of international integration. Correspondingly, the terms of holding the exhibition are defined not by days and even not by weeks. Usually, EXPO is being conducted during 3-6 months.

There is a number of distinctions between universal exhibitions and international specialized arrangements, which are also held under the aegis of International Exhibitions Bureau.

* The Universal Exhibitions are held in every 5 years and have no limits in the size of exhibition area. They last 6 months and are devoted to one common theme.
* International Specialized Exhibitions such as "EXPO-2008 Zaragoza" are being conducted during 3 months on the territory, square of which does not exceed 25 hectares. They are dedicated to some specialized theme.

The first International Universal Exhibition EXPO has taken place in London in 1851 under the title "The Great Exhibition of the works of industry of all nations". 17 thousand exhibitors from 40 countries have participated in it. In all 6 million people have visited Exhibition. More over 5000 exhibits have been awarded.

The following exhibitions have been held up to nowadays:
1855 - Paris, 1862 - London, 1867 - Paris, 1873 - Vienna, 1876 - Philadelphia, 1878 - Paris, 1880 - Melbourne, 1889 - Paris, 1893 - Chicago, 1897 - Brussels, 1900 - Paris, 1904 - Saint Louis, 1905 - Liege, 1906 - Milan, 1910 - Brussels, 1913 - Ghent, 1915 - San Francisco, 1933 - Chicago, 1937 - Paris, 1939 - New York, 1958 - Brussels, 1967- Montreal, 1970 - Osaka, 1992 - Seville, 1993 - Taejon (South Korea), 2000 - Hannover, 2005 - Aichi (Nagoya), 2008 - Zaragoza, 2010 - Shanghai.

The organizational questions of holding world Exhibitions are regulated by Paris Convention of 1928 year regarding International (world) Exhibitions. The practical questions are decided by International Exhibition Bureau created in 1928 with headquarters in Paris and consisting of representatives of 154 states. The Republic of Uzbekistan has officially become a member of the International Exhibitions Bureau on June, 2, 1997.