His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister—may God protect him—extended his congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud—may God protect him—on the occasion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia winning the bid to hostExpo 2030 in Riyadh.
This came following the announcement by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on Tuesday that the Kingdom’s bid had won the right to host the exhibition from October 2030 to March 2031. His Highness also expressed his gratitude to the countries that voted for the Kingdom’s bid, as well as to the two competing countries.
On this occasion, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince—may God protect him—said: “The Kingdom’s success in hosting Expo 2030 reinforces its leading and pivotal role and the international trust it enjoys, making it an ideal destination for hosting the world’s most prominent global forums, of which the Expo is one.”
His Royal Highness reaffirmed the Kingdom’s determination to present an exceptional and unprecedented edition in the history of this global event, characterized by the highest levels of innovation, and to play an active and positive role in shaping a bright future for humanity by providing a global platform that harnesses the latest technologies and brings together the brightest minds, with the aim of optimally investing in opportunities and proposing solutions to the challenges facing our planet today.
His Royal Highness said: “Our hosting of Expo 2030 will coincide with the year of achieving the goals and plans of Saudi Vision 2030; the exhibition is a wonderful opportunity through which we will share with the world the lessons learned from this unprecedented journey of transformation.”
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince affirmed that Riyadh is ready to welcome the world to Expo 2030—God willing—and to fulfill the commitments outlined in the bid to the participating nations to realize the exhibition’s main theme, “The Era of Change: Together We Envision the Future,” and its sub-themes “A Better Tomorrow,” "Climate Action," and "Prosperity for All," and to harness all available potential.
Riyadh, the capital of a country with a strategic and significant geographical location, serves as a vital bridge connecting continents, making it an attractive destination for major international forums, global investments, and visitors, as well as a gateway to the world.
The Kingdom’s bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh received significant and direct support from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister—may God protect him—beginning with the Kingdom’s announcement on October 29, 2021, that it had submitted an official application to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) (the organizing body of the World Expo).
It is worth noting that the Bureau International des Expositions announced the Kingdom’s bid as the winner following a secret ballot during the Bureau’s General Assembly meeting (173), in Paris today, where the Kingdom’s bid received 119 votes from member states. Alongside Riyadh, two other cities competed to host the event: Busan, South Korea, and Rome, Italy.
International Expos have been held since 1851 and constitute the largest global platform for showcasing the latest achievements and technologies, promoting international cooperation in economic development, trade, arts, and culture, and disseminating science and technology.
It is worth noting that last June, the Kingdom unveiled the master plan for the Riyadh Expo 2030 under the theme “The Era of Change: Together We Envision the Future,” during an official reception organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City in Paris.
Should the bid be successful, the expo is scheduled to take place on a site spanning over 6 million square meters near King Salman International Airport – currently under development – making it easy for visitors arriving via the airport to reach the exhibition site in just a few minutes by using the Riyadh Metro network, which covers all parts of Riyadh, along with the modern road network, connecting to one of the exhibition’s three entrances.
According to Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih, the Kingdom has allocated a budget for Riyadh to host Expo 2030, amounting to $7.8 billion, which is equivalent to 29.3 billion riyals.
