Saudi Victory: Riyadh's Success and Rome's Failure at Expo 2030

The Palais des Congrès in Issy-les-Moulineaux, just outside Paris, served as the stage for contrasting emotions, where the Saudi celebration began early in anticipation for Riyadh's victory in securing Expo 2030. While the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia achieved a surprising consensus from the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions with 119 votes, Rome was relegated to the third position with a mere 17 preferences, surpassed by the Korean city of Busan with 29 votes.

Italy, represented by Rome's Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and supported by Bebe Vio, Sabrina Impacciatore, and Trudie Styler, had proposed a candidacy centered around the theme "People and Territories: Regeneration, Inclusion, and Innovation". However, despite efforts and the hope of aligning the Universal Exhibition with the Jubilee 2025, Rome suffered a defeat that led to criticism and bitterness. The Italian "misfortune" deeply affected sentiments, with Mayor Gualtieri acknowledging Riyadh's overpowering victory and emphasizing that "one doesn't win with the award of critics or the public, but with the vote of ambassadors". All the hopes of potentially creating around eleven thousand new companies and three hundred thousand jobs, as outlined in the application dossier, vanished, leaving space for reflection on the strategies adopted and the encountered obstacles.

Reactions in Italy were swift, with Senator Enrico Borghi of Italia Viva describing Rome's defeat as a "galactic embarrassment" and emphasizing the lack of international credibility for sovereigntists. The leader of Action, Carlo Calenda commented on the missed opportunity for Rome, defining the candidacy "born badly and supported worse". Comments of disappointment spread among industrialists, with Unindustria President Angelo Camilli noting the impact of the commercial pressure exerted by Saudi Arabia and the lack of European unity in the vote. The President of the Promoting Committee, Ambassador Giampiero Massolo, raised the tones after the votes, highlighting the mercantile drift that seems to have influenced the ambassadors' choice. Massolo urged to draw lessons from the division in Europe, explaining that Rome's defeat might be related to promises made long before the project presentations. Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, while expressing disappointment, indicated that the universality of Rome does not necessarily depend on the universal exposition.

The organization of Expo 2030 is now in Riyadh's hands, having achieved a landslide victory in the first round, without the need for a runoff. The Saudi celebration exceeded expectations, with festivities at the Palais des Congrès in Issy-les-Moulineaux, where BIE delegates expressed their consent for the Saudi capital, which is consolidating its international position, projecting it toward ambitious economic and geopolitical development. Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Riyadh has envisioned the kingdom's future through the Vision 2030 Strategic Plan. Expo 2030 thus becomes the icing on the cake of a growth trajectory that has seen Riyadh adopt a more concerted and diplomatic approach to regional and global dynamics. The victory not only confirms its leadership position in the energy market but also represents an opportunity to project the Arab Islamic world onto the global cultural stage.

Finally, Expo 2030 is shaping up to be a globally relevant event, offering Riyadh the opportunity to showcase its transformations to the world and contribute to building a more inclusive global future. While the Italian disappointment is painful, it could serve as a catalyst for a profound reflection on candidacy strategies and preparation for upcoming international challenges.

Translated by Stefania Errico
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