Welcome to World Expo Museum

　　Exhibit creates an opportunity

　　A valued exhibit of the Venezuelan Pavilion at Expo 2010 Shanghai, the statue of Simon Bolivar, was donated to the World Expo Museum. It is the only statue of Bolivar in Venezuela. July 5 is both the Independence Day of Venezuela and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces Day. Since 2011, the Consul General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Shanghai has kept babit of coming to Shanghai to pay tribute to the national hero on this day. This year this habit continues as usual. In the morning on July 5, 2018, Venezuela celebrated the 207th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces Day at the World Expo Museum. This is the first commemoration of the statue of Simon Bolivar at the World Expo Museum after it was opened in 2017.

　　This event is a bridge between Venezuela and China, as it also marks the 44-year diplomatic relations between China and Venezuela. It is amazing that an exhibit has created the opportunity for people to gather together every year to enhance friendship, as well as to celebrate, remember, pay tribute and communicate.

　　This event is another important milestone in the partnership between the World Expo Museum and Venezuela. It embodies the mission and mandate of the Museum to continue world heritages and extend the World Expo effect. The Museum is also a platform for friendship and folk cultural exchanges.

　　International representatives coming together

　　Leisbeth Berrios, Consul General of Venezuela in Shanghai, thanked the host and delivered a speech to the guests of honor present at the event. She repeatedly mentioned the word "freedom" which she believed best represents the character of the Venezuelan people. Freedom is also the cornerstone of friendship and mutual cooperation between China and Venezuela.

　　Francisco Zaragoza, Deputy Consul General of Venezuela in Shanghai, Fan Yufei, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Liu Xiuhua, Director of the World Expo Museum, Ana Candida Perez, Consul General of Brazil in Shanghai, Ignacio Concha, Consul General of Chile in Shanghai, and Sra. Luz Helena Echeverry, Consul General of Colombia in Shanghai, Lisbet Quesada Luna, Consul General of Cuba in Shanghai, as well as representatives of consulates general of Ecuador, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Sri Lanka and Uruguay in Shanghai attended the ceremony.

　　Commemoration ceremony

　　The commemoration ceremony began with singing the national anthem of the People's Republic of China and the national anthem of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The guests stood and sang the national anthems and then paid tribute to Simon Bolivar. Venezuela also took the opportunity to award Medals of Honor to distinguished military personnel. As a witness to the friendship between China and Venezuela, both sides gave performances with distinct cultural characteristics: Venezuelan ukulele and songs "Venezuela","Not long ago", brass ensemble Aida, Chinese national Dance "Jiu Er" and Cha Cha dance.

　　Venezuelan ukulele

　　Chinese national dance "Jiu Er"

　　Talking with Consuls General

　　Today, we have the honor to interview Ms. Leisbeth Berrios, Consul General of Venezuela in Shanghai. In the interview, the Consul General stated that Venezuela attaches great importance to the annual ceremony at the World Expo Musuem, because she believes that the World Expo Museum can provide a comfortable environment and thoughtful services for the celebration. She was especially excited that the ceremony took place in a place where the statue of Bolivar stands. Finally, the Consul General expressed the hope that more large-scale exchanges would be held with the consuls general of South America at the World Expo Museum in the future to enhance friendship between China and South American countries.

　　Venezuela exhibits at Expo 2010

　　Ceramic Safflower

　　There were 4,500 ceramic safflowers on the interior and exterior of the Venezuelan Pavilion at Expo 2010. Each flower has 8 petals that interlock with each other. It echoes the design of the Mosby Ring in the pavilion, and the circular lines blur boundaries, a metaphor that urban development is like an uninterrupted road. During Expo 2010 Shanghai, the Venezuelan Pavilion not only donated an equestrian statue of Simon Bolivar, the South American liberator, but also all the ceramic safflowers to Shanghai. Now, these exquisite ceramic safflowers are displayed in the “World Civilizations” hall of the World Expo Museum.

　　Bolivar's Statue

　　Simon Bolivar (1783-1830) was the liberator of Venezuela and the leader of the South American independence movement between 1810 and 1830. The movement led to the independence for Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. During Expo 2010 Shanghai, the statue was placed on the Bolivar Square outside the Venezuelan Pavilion. It was created by the famous Chinese sculptor Yuan Xikun at the request of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and donated by the Venezuelan Pavilion to the World Expo Museum. The size of the statue is 1200*2000*3500, made of bronze; its facial feature is similar to the equestrian statue of Bolivar on the Bolivar Square in Caracas, Venezuela.

　　Text: Lu Yule Photography: Lin Qiandie, Du Yu