Belgrade's Expo 2027 bid presented in Paris

PARIS - An official presentation of Belgrade's bid to host Expo 2027, themed Play for Humanity - Sport and Music for All, was held at the 171st Bureau International des Expositions General Assembly meeting in Paris on Monday.

The presentation was addressed by Serbian Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, Minister of Sports Zoran Gajic, Belgrade's chief urban planner Marko Stojcic and prestigious Serbian artists - violinist Stefan Milenkovic and actor Miki Manojlovic, while tennis star Novak Djokovic made a video address.

"With the highest level of commitment, Serbia has done everything to create the required preconditions to carry out the project of a specialised expo. The funds have been secured, which is the most important thing, and we are confident we are a good candidate and a rational choice. We are confident in the strength of our project and our theme," Mali said at the beginning of the presentation.

He noted that Serbia had made great progress in many fields over the past decade and that economic progress was one of its most significant achievements.

"We have seen a true economic boom. We have attracted a record amount of FDI, more than all other countries in the region combined. The average wages have more than doubled in the past ten years and the unemployment rate is at an all-time low. During the two years of the pandemic-induced crisis, we were the fastest-growing economy in Europe. Serbia is pursuing a balanced foreign policy and we guarantee we will ensure the highest number of exhibitor countries from various parts of the world. Today, we are a meeting point between the East and the West," Mali noted.

In the video address, Djokovic - who is Serbia's brand ambassador - noted the significance of play as a universal language understood by all and its importance in the earliest stage of child development.