Costa Rica Participates in China's International Business Fair

For the next six months, Costa Rica will be one of 189 countries participating in Expo Shanghai. The international business promotion fair will be held in Shanghai China from May 1 through October 31. The huge fair, which was inaugurated with opening ceremonies and a parade on Saturday, aims to promote exchange of economic, social, environmental and technological ideas among participating countries.
 
 Costa Rica and other participants will have pavilions promoting different themes. According to Costa Rica's Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER), the Costa Rican pavilion will feature the themes of peace, the environment, energy efficiency, education and Costa Rica's commitment to high technology.
 
 Costa Rica is located in Zone C grouped with the other Central American nations such as Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama. The fair covers several city blocks and includes a bridge over the Huangpu River, which connects two separate areas of the Expo. The Costa Rican pavilion covers 324 square meters and will be decorated in the national flag colors, red blue and white.
 
 “This is the exposition of all expositions,” said Emmanuel Hess, the General Manager of PROCOMER. “The participation of Costa Rica gives us the opportunity to promote the country on the world stage. Visitors will see the (country's) great diversity of natural riches, that we are a heavenly destination and have a stable business environment. It should be an event that attracts new investors and introduces a larger number of people to the Costa Rican culture.”
 
 On October 29, the Costa Rica pavilion will host its “national day” and will celebrate with national drinks and Costa Rica coffee, souvenirs and traditional Costa Rica food. There will be an art exposition by the sculptor Manuel Jorge Jimenez Deredia and musical performances by the group Malpaís. Featured will be Manuel Obregon, the incoming culture minister in President Laura Chinchilla's government.
 
 Organizers estimates 70 million people will visit the fair over the next six months. Shanghai is one of the most populous cities in the world, with close to 20 million residents.