BRASILIA - Harmony between metropolis and nature is a central theme to be expounded by the Brazilian pavilion at this year's World Expo in Shanghai, a senior Brazilian official said.
Visitors will learn about Brazil's careful management of natural resources and use of renewable energy and find the country a "modern, dynamic and pulsating" nation, Alessandro Teixeira, president of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (APEX), told Xinhua.
Though Brazil has been participating in international expositions for more than a century by now, it attaches special importance to this year's World Expo in China, Teixeira said.
"All our work is directed toward showing a modern Brazil, a pulsating Brazil, a dynamic Brazil. From the establishment of our pavilion to the business rounds, the workshops, cultural presentations, all these elements show clearly the pulsating concept of our country," Teixeira said.
He praised the Chinese government's efforts to construct the Expo buildings and improve the local infrastructure.
He said the Brazilian pavilion, occupying more than 3,000 square meters, is designed in an integrated and interactive way, which will allow visitors to have a comprehensive view of Brazil's rich reality.
"The Chinese people and Expo visitors will access strong images of Brazil, experience interaction with our culture, our way of life, with our cities, experience a bit of Brazilian life. We work with high technology, with many images that show the relationship between Brazilian citizens and the city," he said.
The energy in pulsating Brazilian cities will be the focus of the pavilion, showing the joy of different ethnic groups, their cultures as well as the urban areas of the country.
"The connection between city and nature is fundamental. What we want to show is that Brazil, a large country with beaches, mountains and agricultural production, is also a great country from the point of view of its architecture, its cities, its urban solutions," he said.
Teixeira said the Brazilian pavilion will also strive to portray his country as a leader in renewable energy application and production, which is crucial for developing sustainable cities.
"Nobody can live without energy power, but if energy consumption rises too much we will have problems of polluting emissions. Then, the work we will present during the expo also allows the Chinese government, the Chinese people, to learn about how we did the integration between natural resources and municipal growth," he said.
The official cited public transport as an example to explain how Chinese buses could contribute to sustainable urban development by running on biodiesel or ethanol.
"That's what we want to present to China for it to grow further, but sustainably. I know that the Chinese government has paid much attention to that. Without an increase in environmental sustainability, we will have problems," he said.
Teixeira believes China will make a point of using the solutions showcased by participating countries at the Shanghai Expo whose theme is "Better City, Better Life."
"Major countries will be there, with the best examples of public and private management of urban solutions, management of water and natural resources that are so important to China.
"I would say that the expo is a great school, not only for China but for the whole world, about how to see better quality projects and how to adapt and use in each country," he said.
"We will use the expo as a platform for promoting bilateral trade, investment and technological cooperation between Brazil and China," he concluded.
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