Нistory of the exhibitions

The History of the World EXPO Exhibitions

World Expo exhibitions occupy a special position among all international exhibitions. They are the most prestigious sites where many countries can demonstrate up-to-date scientific and technical, technological, economical solutions of the most topical problems of humankind. Expo is a universal exhibition. Initially countries participating in Expo demonstrated industrial and governmental power, but eventually the subject area of the exhibitions became broader and besides the main exhibits (industrial novelties and important inventions) ethnographical expositions and exhibitions of works of art were added and congresses concerning topical economical, ecological, scientific and cultural problems began to be held during active days of the exhibitions. So presentations of art achievements became an integral part of world exhibitions since 1862: at that time the pictural art exhibition was held simultaneously with the world Expo in London. In 1873 Russian artists exhibited in Vienna: Perov with "The hunters on a halt" and "Barge haulers", Ge with "Peter and Alexei", Savrasov with "The rooks have come back".

May 1, 1851 is considered to be "the birthday" of Expo. Then "The great exhibition of industry products of all nations" was opened in Hyde Park in London, which became an original outcome of the Industrial Revolution. The Crystal Palace exhibition hall made of iron and glass specially for the exhibition became a symbol and the main place of interest of the event. Since that the demonstration of the country capabilities began from pavilions and separate exhibition sections which with the lapse of time became the city places of interests. That is first of all the Eiffel Tower constructed for the exhibition in 1889 which afterwards became the symbol of Paris, the Rotonda, the pavilion with the biggest cupola in the world constructed for the exhibition in Vienna in 1873, the Royal exhibition pavilion of the international exhibition in Melbourne (1880) included in the list of the world cultural heritage of UNESCO etc.

Our country didn't fall behind other world powers following general desire to demonstrate a high level of development of the nation. Russian pavilions always were original and were noticeable among many others. So in Paris the Russian pavilion was built according to the project of a well-known architect Ropet (Petrov) in 1900; the Russian pavilion in Glazgo brought to the project author, Shehtel F.A., the title of the academician of architecture and of the honorary member of the British Royal Architecture Institute in 1901; Soviet pavilions at the exhibitions in Paris in 1937 and in Brussels in 1958 got the highest awards of the exhibitions; also the pavilion of USSR which had a form of a spread banner made as a steel folded construction went down in history of the world architecture in Osaka in 1970.

World congresses held within the frame of the exhibitions also have a rich history. This history begins with the exhibition in Paris in 1878. At that time the first literature congress was held, on basis of which the first international agreement on copyright in literature was worked out. Ivan Turgenev was chosen as a co-chairman of that congress together with Victor Hugo.

The problem of the author's rights in industry was decided and the question of the living conditions of the blind was discussed at that exhibition. Russian representatives - scientists and inventors - participated in many congresses of that exhibition and the following ones. Thus, for example, in 1900 at the world exhibition in Paris a word "television" came into general use which the Russian engineer Perskij K. used in his report.

After the war the exhibition organizers began to pay attention not only to achievements in the area of technologies - the participants began to discuss global questions of the mankind - for example, a human being and his place in the world, ecology, urbanization and many others. In accordance with these questions a separate slogan is formulated each time according to which every country forms its exposition.

Modern Expo exhibitions have become a symbol of industrialization and an open site for demonstration of all significant achievements of the country in different areas. Every time millions of people visit Expo exhibitions. A question of participation of the country in Expo is discussed at the government level. Competition of the countries which are pretenders for Expo holding by its intensity reminds competition for the right to hold the Olympic games.

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