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1.0
Introduction
The
Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is hosting the
World Exposition 2000
(EXPO 2000) in Hanover, from the 1st of June to the
31st of October 2000.
The overall theme of the EXPO 2000 is “Humankind,
Nature and Technology”.
One
of the highlights of EXPO 2000 is the Africa Pavilion where
the countries of sub-Saharan Africa will be making
presentations. Within the Africa Pavilion the joint
presentation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
will be a major point of focus demonstrating the basic options
of water policy and the importance of water as a basic need
and influential factor of human life. The presentation will
create a visual and sensual impact as well as provide
practical examples and solutions.
The
idea of a joint SADC presentation was born in February 1996.
In September 1997 the Council of Ministers of SADC decided
that SADC should have a joint presentation under the common
theme of “water”. Subsequently several workshops
were held to restructure and define the theme statements on
the basis of the sub-themes suggested by SADC member States.
The theme statements are as follows:
-
Wonderful
Water Worlds
-
Water
Supply and Sanitation
-
Management,
Coordination and Co-operation
-
Protection
and Conservation
-
Water
and Agriculture
The
SADC Water Sector Coordination Unit (SADC-WSCU) is
coordinating and facilitating activities in the preparations
for SADC Joint presentation in collaboration with the SADC
Secretariat in Gaborone , Botswana, sectors for Tourism, and
Information and Culture with their coordination units in
Mauritius and Mozambique respectively.
For
EXPO 2000, SADC is advised by
Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zuammenarbeit GmbH
(GTZ) which enlisted ARCHEVENT for the elaboration of a
concept for the joint presentation. This concept was approved
by the SADC Council of Ministers and served as a basis on
which Hanover Messe International GmbH (HMI) and its partners
MAR Architects and DECOSA started their work: identifying the
projects proposed by SADC member States, checking the
feasibility of presenting them in a proper and attractive way
and finally translating everything into the approved concept
and design.
2.0
The Philosophy behind this concept
Access
to clean water represents a basic human need throughout the
world. Since water is essential for sustainable development in
almost all respects and a matter of special concern in all
SADC member states, the latter are continuosly working on
making safe drinking water available to their entire
population and have found a number of solutions to
water related problems.
The
current concept aims to refute the widely held image of Africa
as a continent waiting to be developed and offering little
more than beautiful landscapes, picturesque villages and wild
game. Picking up on the Africa Pavilion's slogan of the
"Gift of Africa'' the
SADC member states
will present their own projects as eye‑opening examples
of their willingness and ability to develop exemplary
solutions to problems existing not only in Southern Africa but
all over the world.
To make
the presentation a success, it is essential to attract
visitors' attention and, perhaps even more importantly, keep
them interested in the presentation. HMI and its partners
believe that this aim can only be achieved by arousing
people's curiosity, getting them involved and giving them
something to think (and talk) about after they have left.
For
this reason, the complete SADC stand has been designed to
capture visitors' attention, capitalising on the human thirst
for knowledge but also on the urge to play, and providing
numerous opportunities for interaction.
The
entrance area and the storyteller room will already combine
all of these elements, representing the first steps towards
the visitor's emotional involvement.
Wherever
possible, the thematic rooms will not only show SADC member
states' projects, but give visitors the opportunity to
interact and to actually experience daily life as well as the
concrete relief provided by the featured solutions.
Finally
the coastline, the surrounding ocean and the surrounding
screen will provide room to relax and rest or gather more
information and above all to internalise all the experiences
and impressions gained.
One
of the main entertaining events during the duration of the
EXPO 2000 will be the celebration of the SADC Day which is the
17th of August. Entertainment will include: a
recital of a poem titled “SADC in the Next Millennium”;
Cultural and Fashion shows of the SADC national dresses. Even
during the duration of the EXPO2000 there will be lots of
activities: presentations, entertainment, shows and so on.
Everybody
is invited to this global event of the Millennium.
For
more information visit the following Internet site: http://www.expo2000.de.
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