In search of new ideals
By Karishma Singh

The 20th century saw the formation of a new global society. The remarkable leaps and bounds made in science and technology, the development of high-speed methods of transportation, and the evolution of information and communication technologies have all accelerated the global interchange of people, goods and information to an unbelievable extent. The world has truly transformed in the last 100 years. Human beings' seemingly insatiable desire for expansion, the source of this transformation, continues unabated. This has placed a tremendous burden on the natural environment, exceeding its capacity for self-recovery. The result is that we must now deal with a number of potential world crises.

The time has come for the people who make up the global society of the 21st century to work together in the pursuit of a sustainable and harmonious coexistence for all life on earth. This in short, is the message that the World Exposition 2005 to be held in Seto, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, Japan is looking to portray.

Under the theme of Nature's Wisdom and sub-themes Nature's Matrix, Art of Life and Development for Eco-communities, the 2005 World Exposition will seek to realise new ideals for culture and civilisation. The participation of 122 nations and organisations from around the world will achieve the proposal of new directions for solving the global scale problems confronting humanity in the 21st century, and to share new ideas for lifestyles suited to the new century.

To date, 105 countries and 7 international organisations have announced their participation in the Expo 2005.

As the first World Exposition to be held in the 21st century, Brunei Darussalam can grasp from this Expo an ideal prospect to showcase our country and its possibilities to the world. With its pro-environmental approach in the protected development of the oil and gas industry and the maintenance of our magnificent rainforests, an invaluable asset to the world, Brunei will definitely be welcomed into the Expo.

In addition to this, Brunei's image as an eco-tourism destination will be enhanced through the exposure gained by its involvement in the 2005 Aichi Expo. With a target of 15 million visitors being set by the organising committee and worldwide media coverage of the 6-month event, Brunei will garner a chance to capitalise on the increased interest in eco-tourism. Non-Islamic countries, including Japan, who are not familiar with Islam can be introduced to the Islamic lifestyle by Brunei during the 2005 Expo. Religious instruction, exchange of cultural diversity and worldviews may all be captured by Brunei if it chooses to join this exposition.

Throughout the duration of the Expo, the contribution of citizens from around the globe will ensure that the Expo 2005 becomes a forum for all people - from children to the elderly - to share their enjoyment of life and their dreams for the future. The Expo will allow people to reach a new level of awareness in regard to the relationship between humankind and nature, and will offer a vision of a future filled with promise.

Nature's Wisdom, the primary theme for the Expo 2005 follows the wonderful mechanism of nature and the power of life as well as a model for 21st century society by learning from all the experience, knowledge and wisdom human beings have acquired thus far.

This will be achieved through diverse exchange among people from all over the world, and will enable us to move towards discovering a new model for the future of Earth and humankind.

Nature's Matrix will explore a new model for civilisation in the space age, and look for new ways to resolve population and environmental problems through cutting edge experiments using bio and information technologies. Art of Life will present directions for people to live fuller and active lives, addressing the issues of aging society and the creativity of children. Through fine arts, performing arts and daily customs from around the world, the richness of nature and the force of life will shine through.

New energy and new recycling technology will be utilised in the Development of Eco-Communities with ideal lifestyles and urban infrastructures that use resources efficiently looked at. An idyllic balance between social development and environment will be pursued and the restoration of environments attempted.

Expo 2005 will seek to bring a contemporary awareness and role to the concept of world expositions by addressing the following new trends and issues that face the world today. One of the major concerns that face countries today is that of the environment.

Expo 2005 will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and wisdom between participating countries, who will come together on a global level to work towards solutions for ever-worsening problems such as global warming, reductions in natural resources and the distribution of food and water.

The Internet and other aspects of information technology are developing exponentially. It is amidst this environment that the Expo 2005 will propose new social and industrial structures, as well as new ways of life for modern society.

In this age of borderless societies, where past and future, and everything from genetics to outer space is available for us to access in our daily lives, the Expo will offer a broad worldview.

Social structures have become ever more dependant on the role of citizens and NPO groups. Acknowledging this, Expo 2005 will define a new type of citizen participation, particularly that of partnerships between global citizens.

As many nations are beginning to see a large segment of society reach their silver years, Expo 2005 will strive to discover not only further wel-fare and care solutions for the elderly but also a social awareness and social systems that allow el-derly people to enjoy the full length of their lives.

The logo and the two mascots who will be representing the 2005 Expo at Aichi very clearly demonstrate the two fundamental beliefs that lie behind this world exposition.

The logo depicts a young seedling above the words 'Exposition of Global Harmony' thus expressing the meaning of human beings and nature coexisting harmoniously in order to create a new society. In a similar vein, the two mascots are trees from the forest. Morizo, the grandpa of the forest, knows everything about life in the forest, while Kiccoro, a child of the forest, is filled with curiosity and wonder.

Aichi Prefecture, the site of the Expo 2005 is located in the central part of Japan, and is a key hub for east-west transportation. Nagoya City, the capital, stands alongside Tokyo and Osaka to make up the three main metropolitan areas of Japan.

An urban centre that is also blessed with a temperate climate, Aichi has cultivated traditional arts such as the tea ceremony, flower arrangement and Noh (conventional Japanese theatre) since ancient times and is a chief producer of porcelain.

Historically, manufacturing industries have played such an important role in Aichi that the prefecture has originated culture fully intertwined with technology. For the past 24 years, Aichi Prefecture has ranked No. 1 in Japan in terms of manufactured goods output. The prominent industry is automobile manufacturing, and Aichi is one of the most important bases for this industry in the world.

His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Japan is honorary president of the exposition, and Ambassador Taizo Watanabe represents the Japanese government as the Commissioner General of the Exhibition.

The organiser, Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition, has been established with the approval of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and is under the leadership of Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda who serves as chairman and Ms. Harumi Sakamoto who is the secretary-general.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin