INBAR Unveils Its 2010 Shanghai Expo Pavilion
The Intergovernmental Organization Promoting Bamboo and Rattan Raises Awareness With Stunning Expo 2010 Pavilion and Program
Beijing, China, March 18, 2010–The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) today unveiled the design of their Expo 2010 Pavilion and program of activities. The intergovernmental organization hopes to leverage the international exposure of the 2010 Shanghai Expo to further promote the use of bamboo and rattan as resources for environmental protection and poverty alleviation, whilst promoting fairer trade.
INBAR’s pavilion, themed “Bamboo and Rattan: Enriching Lives”, responds to the expo’s “Better City, Better Life” theme by focusing on how bamboo and rattan help not only to lower the carbon footprint, but also to provide employment and economic development for poverty stricken communities. The pavilion will contain dynamic and interactive exhibits, including visual demonstrations of creative, innovative, and high-tech bamboo and rattan applications for urban living.
INBAR will host a three-day congress in Shanghai on 20-22 May to explore the multiple interfaces between the bamboo and rattan sectors and the improvement of cities, particularly in the developing world. INBAR will organize various other activities during the Expo to promote the benefits of bamboo and rattan, including an international bamboo and rattan product ideas competition.
With only 44 days left to go before its opening, the Shanghai Expo is gearing up for an impressive show on May 1 – October 31. The Expo is expected to attract 70-80 million visitors this year, the largest expo the world has seen.
Over the past decade, INBAR and partners in China have lifted thousands of rural people out of poverty by promoting the bamboo sector in Provinces such as Zhejiang, Sichuan, Hunan, and Yunnan. INBAR has demonstrated in China that many people can escape poverty by increasing bamboo production in rural areas and by linking local communities with domestic and foreign buyers.
“INBAR is proud to unveil the striking design for its Expo Pavilion today. The use of bamboo and rattan material to build the pavilion, combined with the stunning visitor experiences and the international reach of the Expo will undoubtedly help us meet our goal: promote globally the use of bamboo and rattan in our daily lives to reduce our carbon footprint and increase economic development for poverty stricken communities in China and the world,” said Dr. Coosje Hoogendoorn, Director General for the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan.
“As one of the members of INBAR’s network and hosting country for the 2010 Shanghai Expo, China is delighted to offer, and support, this platform to promote the use of bamboo and rattan. INBAR’s projects in China have already helped many communities in China raise their economic situation,” said Prof. Jiang Zehui, Vice Chair of the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment, CPPCC and Co-Chair of INBAR Board of Trustees.
"INBAR’s presence at the Expo will set in motion a new strategy for promoting sustainable building materials in China, such as bamboo and rattan. The EU is pleased to support this endeavor as sustainable urban living is an important aspect of EU-China cooperation," said, Michael Pulch, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to China and Mongolia.
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About INBAR
The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to promote sustainable development with bamboo and rattan in Asia, Africa and Latin America. INBAR is headquartered in Beijing, China with regional offices in India, Ecuador, Ethiopia and Ghana. For more information, please visit www.inbar.int and www.inbarworldexpo.com.
