Bureau International des Expositions facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bureau International des Expositions
International Exhibitions Bureau

Head office at 34 avenue d'Iéna (16th arrondissement, Paris).
Member states as of May 2022
Formation	22 November 1928; 96 years ago (1928-11-22)
Type	International exhibitions
Headquarters	Paris, France
Membership	184 members
President	Alain Berger
Secretary General	Dimitri S. Kerkentzes

The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), also known as the International Exhibitions Bureau, is an important international group. It was created to help organize and oversee huge international shows called Expos or World Expos. These Expos are big events where countries show off their ideas, inventions, and cultures to the world.

What is the BIE and Why Was It Created?

The BIE was started in Paris, France, on November 22, 1928. Its main goals are:

• To manage the schedule for World Expos, including choosing where they will be held.
• To make sure that everyone involved in an Expo, from the organizers to the countries participating, works together smoothly.

Today, 184 countries are members of the BIE. They all agree to follow the rules set by the BIE for these big international events.

The BIE helps organize two main types of Expos:

• World Expos (also called Registered Exhibitions)
• Specialized Expos (also called Recognized Exhibitions)

The BIE also recognizes special gardening shows called Horticultural Exhibitions and the Milan Triennial Exhibition, which focuses on art and design.

Types of Expos

Over the years, the rules for Expos have changed a bit, but they always divide them into World Expos and Specialized Expos. These rules decide how long an Expo can last, how often it can happen, how big it can be, and how buildings are constructed.

World Expos

World Expos are the biggest and most famous type of international exhibition. They happen about every five years and can last for up to six months.

• Big Ideas: World Expos focus on big challenges facing humanity, like "Man and His World" or "Age of Discoveries."
• Country Pavilions: Countries, international groups, and companies can build their own unique buildings, called pavilions, to showcase their ideas. These pavilions can be very large, sometimes like small city blocks!
• Huge Scale: These Expos cover massive areas, sometimes hundreds of football fields in size. For example, Expo 2010 in Shanghai was 528 hectares (that's over 1,300 acres!).
• Many Visitors: Millions of people visit World Expos. Expo 2010 in Shanghai had 70 million visitors!
• Transportation: Because they are so big, World Expos need lots of transportation like cable cars, monorails, and buses to help visitors get around.

Specialized Expos

Specialized Expos are smaller than World Expos and happen more often, usually between the big World Expos. They last for a shorter time, between three weeks and three months.

• Focused Themes: Unlike World Expos, Specialized Expos have a very specific theme. For example, "Future Energy" (Expo 2017 Astana) or "Living Oceans and the Coast" (Expo 2012 Yeosu).
• Shared Pavilions: Instead of building their own huge pavilions, countries usually use buildings provided by the Expo organizers. They then decorate and customize the inside.
• Smaller Size: The entire Expo site for a Specialized Expo is much smaller, usually no more than 25 hectares (about 60 acres). This makes them less expensive to host.

Before 1996, the difference between World and Specialized Expos was sometimes a bit blurry. Some Specialized Expos, like Expo 86 in Vancouver, were very popular and had many visitors, almost like a World Expo!

Member Countries

The BIE has 184 member countries from all over the world. These countries work together to make sure international exhibitions are successful and fair.

Countries That Have Left or Rejoined

Some countries have changed their membership status with the BIE over time.

Australia

Australia used to be a member and even hosted the World Expo 88. However, in 2015, they decided to leave the BIE.

Canada

Canada also ended its membership in the BIE in 2012.

United States

The United States was not a member of the BIE from 2001 to 2017. During this time, it was harder for cities in the U.S. to host BIE-approved Expos. However, the U.S. rejoined the organization on May 10, 2017.

Fun Facts About Expos

Expo Mascots

Since 1984, Expos have had fun fictional characters called mascots. These mascots are designed to represent the host city or the Expo's theme. For example, Seymore D. Fair was the mascot for the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. Other famous mascots include Curro from Seville Expo '92 and Haibao from Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

BIE Anthem

The official song, or anthem, of the Bureau International des Expositions is a part of Dvořák's famous Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World".

See also

• List of world expositions – A list of all the Expos officially recognized by the BIE.
• List of world's fairs – A broader list that includes other large fairs, not just those approved by the BIE.