Tunisian participations at the international and universal exhibits

Deeply set in the collective memories of all peoples, for more than one and a half centuries, Universal Expos boast a thorough and long experience.

« Shanghai 2010 » Universal Expo, to be officially opened on May, 1st, 2010, will succeed, about 158 years after, to the « Great Exhibition », held, exactly in 1857, at Crystal Palace in London.

Keeping faithful to its tradition as a country opened up onto the rest of the world, Tunisia has observed this tradition and taken part, through this representation, at all universal and international expos, from London, in 1857, to Paris, in 1855 and 1867. Under the French protectorate, the Tunisian pavilions were equally present, and notably in Paris (1889 and 1900), Chicago (1893) and Liege (1905).

After independence, Tunisia took part in the Universal Expos of Brussels (1958) and Montreal (1967), as well as the specialized international expo of  Tsukuba/Japan (1985).

Tunisia of the New Era has always upheld this trend and taken part at the Universal Expos of Seville (1992) and Hanover (2000), in addition to the International Expos of Genoa (1992), Taejon/Korea (1993), Lisbon (1998), Aichi (2005) and Saragosta (2008).

Thanks to its regular participation at all universal and international exhibit, Tunisia has boosted its reputation and established excellent ties with the bodies supervising this kind of events: the International Expos Bureau (IEB).

Furthermore, Tunisia is a founding and permanent member of the IEB advisory committee, based in Paris, and contributes with rich ideas and insightful debate within this international body. In addition to that, Tunisia prides itself on its appointment, for the first time in December 1995, as a member of the IEB Executive Board, for a two-year term, renewed for the same period, as of 1997 and then in 2001, 2003, 2007, and recently in 2009.  

All these top-level participations refer to an image replete with both humanity and humanism, characterize a land of security and stability, epitomized in the deep civilian spirit of her people, and bear witness to the resounding economic and social success performed at the national level.

These various initiatives take their origin in a country where the future lies in the present, provides a vantage point for the prospective vision, paves the way to the world of global knowledge and new ICTs, enables the country be ranked among the developed nations and helps people long for a brighter and more prosperous career.

During all its participations at the universal and international events, and notably in Hanover 2000, Tunisia has been credited with worldwide reputation thanks to its adhesion to the global spirit of knowledge and innovation and  its dissemination of the values of humanitarian solidarity, inter-ethnic tolerance and multi-cultural dialogue.

Tunisia is currently working relentlessly to prepare its participation at the “Shanghai 2010” Universal Expo. This would be, yet another good opportunity, to upgrade cooperation and international exchanges, as well as to give further impetus to solidarity worldwide.

The initiative taken by Tunisia, during its participation at the Hanover 2000 Universal Expo, to issue a special book illustrating its 150-year participation in universal and international expos, bears witness to the national efforts being deployed, at all levels, to perpetuate the inexhaustible heritage of the country and eternalize it glorious history. It is also a token of appreciation, held out by the IEB and all its members, for the great interest Tunisia has shown towards this global gathering.

Participations of regency Tunisia

- PARIS / FRANCE 1889
- CHICAGO / USA 1893
- PARIS / FRANCE 1900

- LIEGE / BELGIUM 1905
- BRUSSELS / BELGIUM1910
- GAND / BELGIUM 1913
- BRUSSELS / BELGIUM 1935
- PARIS / FRANCE 1937


Participations of independent Tunisia

- BRUSSELS  / BELGIUM 1958
- MONTREAL / CANADA 1967
- OSAKA / JAPAN 1970
- TSUKUBA / JAPAN 1985
- SEVILLE  / SPAIN1992
- GENOA  / ITALY  1992
- TAEJON / KOREA 1993
- LISBON / PORTUGAL  1998
- HANOVER / GERMANY 2000
- AICHI / JAPAN 2005
- SARAGOSTA / SPAIN 2008
- SHANGHAI / CHINA 2010