Time for Shanghai Expo to take it easy

• Source: Global Times
• [03:22 March 17 2010]
• Comments

With 45 days to go before the opening of World Expo 2010, Shanghai is gearing up enthusiastically for its final preparations to make a big impression on the world stage.

Yet now should also be the time for Shanghai, and China at large, to take it easy.

Everything does not have to be perfect at the Shanghai Expo. After all, as 159 years of tradition indicate, the Expo is merely a big global party for people to enjoy the fun brought by modern civilization.

By taking it easy, the Shanghai Expo, featuring a focus on urban life, can also stick to its dynamic theme of "Better City, Better Life." While urbanization can be a double-edged sword, it is the leisure, conveniences and, above all, fun aspects of modern urban life that should be highlighted.

It is quite understandable that China has gone all out to make the Shanghai Expo a world-class event.

Given the national pride it is evoking and the international spotlight it is drawing, the Expo has taken on many political, economic, cultural and societal implications: It is supposed to revitalize the economy, to improve the environment, to enhance citizens' civility, to display progress, to boost the city's and the country's image, and so on.

But for a global party like this, those important missions are just too heavy.

China's capability of hosting a massive event has been proved numerous times, with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games being the greatest example. Also evident is its rising clout after taking the lead to pull the global economy out of its slump during the financial crisis.

Now, all the Shanghai Expo needs to go out for is a fun, easygoing time.

All previous Expos that have achieved great success took the same approach. The 1893 Chicago Expo captured the spirit of its times by introducing the "Midway Plaisance" and adding entertaining elements to the Expo.

Over a century later, a multifunctional theme park was built for the 2008 Zaragoza Expo in Spain, making it "the biggest water festival on Earth." The reason was simple: To make the Expo as much fun as possible and woo more visitors.

There is no doubt that the Shanghai Expo, which is expected to showcase more than 200 countries, regions and international organizations and attract 70 million visitors, will make a mark in history.

The key difference between the Expo and various other trade shows is that the Expo is supposed to be fun and attract the participation of ordinary people. How well it meets those goals will be the measure of its success.

As the birthplace of China's urban entertainment, the bustling metropolis of Shanghai is capable of hosting an Expo that will be colorful, exciting and full of fun.

So, let's take it easy.