The 'Farnese Atlas,' the imposing marble sculpture currently housed at the MANN – National Archaeological Museum of Naples, will be the centrepiece of the Italy Pavilion in Osaka. This was announced by the Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025, Mario Vattani, to an audience of Japanese, Italian, and international institutional representatives.
Additionally, initiatives related to the sea were announced: a special event focused on the Blue Economy was announced for July 2025, featuring the participation of the Minister for Civil Protection and Marine Policies, Nello Musumeci; the partnership with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and the 2025 edition of the Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue.
The Pavilion will feature its own theatre with a daily schedule of live events. The participation of actress and singer Serena Autieri as 'godmother’ of the Italy Pavilion's inauguration on 13 April 2025 was also announced.
A Press Conference centred on the Italy Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka was held in the picturesque setting of Villaggio Italia, the Itinerant Multi-Year World Exhibition of Italian Excellence, which is accompanying the vessel Amerigo Vespucci in leading ports of the World Tour. The Conference was titled “Sailing towards Expo 2025 Osaka - Italian beauties and excellences between tradition and innovation”.
The event was attended by Japanese, Italian, and international authorities to jointly take stock of the collaboration path leading to Expo 2025 Osaka.
The Press Conference was preceded by a photo opportunity aboard the Vespucci, attended by key figures, along with the mascot of the Italy Pavilion, Italia-chan, and the official character of Expo 2025 Osaka, MYAKU MYAKU.
During the Press Conference, significant projects were announced to enliven the six months of Expo at the Italy Pavilion, spanning the presence of the Farnese Atlas, and some initiatives concerning the Sea, such as the event with Minister Nello Musumeci, the partnership with Sasakawa Peace Foundation, as well as the 2025 edition of the Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue.
Additionally, a collaboration with the Special Kids Future Vision Challenge Consortium was announced to promote the ‘Docodemo Expo’ (‘Anywhere Expo’) programme, an innovative project that will allow children of various nationalities, with disabilities or health issues, to actively participate in Expo 2025 Osaka. This initiative will create a network for interaction before, during, and after the Expo, allowing them to visit the Italy Pavilion remotely and interact with AI robots.
It was also revealed that the Italy Pavilion has planned a rich schedule of live daily events.
A Pavilion designed not only to promote Made in Italy but also to leave an unforgettable impression of Italy in the minds of visitors. The Pavilion was designed by architect Mario Cucinella – MCA Architects, to convey a modern version of the "Ideal City" to the world, a symbolic image of the Italian Renaissance.
“With the Farnese Atlas, Italy showcases its excellence to the world at Expo 2025 Osaka, as well as an exhaustive, multi-faceted image of our Nation. Emphasis on the leading aerospace and underwater sectors will also be enhanced by our initiatives on the theme of the Sea, a heritage and tradition of our Nation,” said Mario Vattani, Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, on stage in Tokyo. "This is an extraordinary opportunity to present the scientific, technological, and industrial value of our National System on a global stage, from startups to regional supply chains, as well as the academic and research worlds.
Our schedule will also feature daily live events, a tangible way to engage both our youngest and veteran talents, and to implement the theme of the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka: 'Art regenerates life’.”
The Press Conference opened with the official greetings of Gianluigi Benedetti, Ambassador of Italy to Japan. The Ambassador underscored the importance of this event for Italy, “The Universal Exhibition will be an extraordinary opportunity to show Japan and the world the best of Italy, its over thousand-year history and culture, countless traditions, the many facets of Italian "know-how", from craftsmanship to innovative design, from food and wine to high technology. But we also want it to be an actual venue to meet and get to know each other in-person. A place to acquire information and explore the many opportunities for collaboration and partnership Italy can offer in the manufacturing sectors, in the most advanced industrial ones, in the fields of technological research, culture, and the arts, broadly
speaking”.
The stage featured the presence of special guest Hon. Hanako Jimi, Minister for Expo 2025 in Osaka. He remarked, “I hope that next year's Osaka-Kansai Expo will open a new chapter in the friendly relations between our two countries. I hope that the Italy Pavilion will be visited by many people and that Italy's art, culture and science, which have long fascinated people all over the world, will be further promoted in the international scene”.
The Deputy Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Hon. Valentino Valentini, was also present, and said, “Expo 2025 Osaka will be a tremendous opportunity to showcase the Italian National System and the excellence of Made in Italy. Even now, we are holding numerous meetings to explore the methods of our participation and to support the work carried out by Commissioner Mario Vattani and his team. The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, represented by me, will be present at the opening ceremony, and the entire government is fully committed to making a success of this significant event”.
“Thanks to the determination and commitment of the Organiser and all participants, ideas and concepts are coming to life on and off the site of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, as evidenced by the presentation of the Italy Pavilion today in Tokyo. Celebrating Italo-Nippon relations, this beautiful Pavilion will reflect Italy’s innovative spirit, merging artistic, scientific, entrepreneurial and social experiments, besides facilitating new exchanges and connections,” said Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation that has coordinated and regulated World Expos since 1931.
“The Italy Pavilion is expected to greatly enhance the value of Expo 2025 and its attractive traits. The Association will continue to fully support Italy's preparations for the Expo,” added Hiroyuki Ishige, Secretary General of Expo 2025 Association.
The Commissioner General for Expo 2025 in Japan, Koji Haneda, also spoke. “I learned that the mission of the Amerigo Vespucci includes safeguarding the natural environment and the maritime ecosystem. This is consistent with the theme of Osaka, Kansai Expo. The vessel’s world tour is expected to promote the objectives of the Expo.”
Many leading figures attended the press conference, including Shintaro Ito, Japan’s Minister of the Environment, and Serena Autieri, actress and singer who will be the “godmother” at the inauguration of the Italy Pavilion on 13 April 2025.
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