President addressed the General Assembly of the International Bureau of Expositions regarding the holding of Expo 2030 in Odessa

I am honoured to present Ukraine’s candidate for hosting World’s Fair 2030. To present Odessa – and the entire Black Sea region.

Why Odessa? Why Ukraine? Why the Black Sea?

This year, Ukraine has become the world’s role model of bravery. Billions of people from every continent could see what Ukrainian invincibility means, why Russian terror will not achieve its goal.

And they will see how Ukraine becomes a role model of reconstruction. Neither winter cold, nor darkness nor other manifestations of terror will help Russia conquer Ukrainians.

The time of Ukrainian victory shall come. And then…

The reconstruction of our country will become the most momentous economic, technological, and humanitarian project of our time.

Even now, we engage dozens of our partner countries to rebuild Ukraine.

The total volume of work amounts to over a trillion dollars.

Even now, we create a special patronage system.

The system will enable leading countries and companies to take patronage over the reconstruction of Ukrainian regions, cities, industries, and enterprises. Not just to recover them but to show that a free world and conscious countries are always more powerful than any tyranny and aggression.

We can already see the interest in patronage from France and Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany, Denmark and Finland, Italy and Türkiye, Poland and Portugal, the Czechia and Slovenia, Latvia and Estonia, Switzerland and Slovakia, Austria and Greece, Canada and the United States of America, Japan and Australia. And this is not a full list of the countries.

In 2030, Ukrainian reconstruction will have already shown a significant part of the projected results, and Ukraine will be the country to demonstrate what humanity is capable of when all peoples cooperate for peace and security, for development, and a more comfortable future for all.

And this is, by the way, a fundamental meaning behind the World’s Fairs.

So, the reality of our country and the spirit of the World’s Fairs will ally. Specifically in Ukraine, specifically in 2030.

Even now, we have already proved that the Black Sea region is one of the key guarantors of the world’s stability.

Our Odessa is that big port that ensures the social well-being of dozens of countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe.

This year, we have proved it with our Grain Export Initiative.

We will solidify it with another international humanitarian project “Grain From Ukraine”. It will help recover food security in the poorest countries that are balancing at the edge of famine and destabilization – Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, and others. These and many other countries will be widely aware of why Odessa and the Black Sea are so significant. We will save millions of people – Odessa will save millions of people thanks to the work of its ports.

We are already integrating Ukraine into the European Union. We have already become a part of the EU Single Market. We will become a part of the EU institutions. We have already joined the EU Single Energy System. We will become those whose potential in “green” energy will replace dirty Russian fossil fuel for Europe. We have already helped Europe to overcome many internal controversies and actually unite – unite in its actions. Enhanced by Ukraine, Europe will become a truly independent and really solid global player.

2030 is the time when we will be able to celebrate it. To celebrate it together with all Europeans.

Is it fair that the World’s Fairs have never been hosted in this part of Europe? Many world regions have already been represented. Europe had the honour to host the World’s Fairs in different years. But not the East of Europe.

We should change it. And Odessa will be a perfect place to do it.

The city that through the centuries has been tied economically and culturally with Türkiye and Romania, Georgia and Bulgaria, Moldova and other countries of our region as well as many world’s regions.

The city that has always been multinational and multicultural – the city of diversity. 

The city that may host the World’s Fair for the first time but has been connected with the world for centuries.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

When you visit Ukraine and our Odessa in 2030, you will sense the power, freedom, and culture of not just one country and one city. You will experience the potential of the entire humanity.

That is why it is 2030. That is why it is Odessa, Ukraine, and the Black Sea. That is why it is the World’s Fair.

May the victory of freedom and our striving for peace become widely seen!

Thank you for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!