Czech forest wood will make its mark worldwide. It will be supplied for the construction of the pavilion by Lesy ČR, Vojenské lesy a statky ČR, and KRNAP

"The Czech National Pavilion in Japan will be in the form of a glass spiral, with the supporting structure made of spruce wood supplied, among others, by the state enterprise Lesy České republiky. They supplied 900 cubic meters of timber. The wooden structure is already being produced by three plants in Czechia. This once again confirms the trend of using natural and renewable materials, especially wood, which we are able to grow and process in Czechia. Moreover, this is confirmed by the recently adopted Raw Materials Policy for Wood," said the Minister of Agriculture, Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL).

The Raw Materials Policy for Wood focuses on new trends and the expected development of wood processing in Czechia. The intention is to use wood more in various areas, and the Czech National Pavilion will be a great example of this. The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) will also be presenting Regional Food and Czech Hops in Osaka. The national exhibition will also introduce visitors to innovations in agriculture, the food industry, and gastronomy.

The Czech National Pavilion is the first wooden building of its kind without a metal structure in Japan. In addition to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Defence are also involved in the supply of wood.

"I see the Czech pavilion as a symbol of our path of modernization, openness to the world, and sustainability expressed in the combination of modern technologies with domestic tradition, namely the classic building material which is wood. Houses made of wood have several advantages, they use local material, their construction is faster and they help to store carbon, which does not get into the air. That is why we want to promote wood more, not only as a material for family houses but also for larger, multi-story buildings, as the Czech national pavilion for EXPO 2025 shows. Wood from the Krkonoše National Park will also be used for its construction, namely 150 cubic meters of spruce wood," said the Minister of the Environment, Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL).

"The Ministry of Defence, through the company Vojenské lesy a statky, is donating 400 cubic meters of quality spruce logs for the construction of Czechia's representative pavilion at the EXPO 2025 World Exhibition in Osaka, Japan. This timber, worth over CZK 1.2 million, will be delivered from the Boletice military area, located in the South Bohemia Region. I believe that thanks to this, as in the past, our national exposition will be one of the most popular and original ones next year," said Minister of Defense, Jana Černochová (ODS).

In December 2022, after more than twenty years, the Office of the Czech Commissioner General announced an open anonymous architectural competition for the design of the national pavilion for EXPO 2025. A total of 38 teams entered the competition, from which an expert jury headed by world-renowned architect Eva Jiřičná selected the winning design in the shape of a glass spiral by Apropos Architects in March 2023. The load-bearing structure of the building will consist of modern wooden panels, while the façade will be made of art glass, which has a centuries-old tradition in Czechia. The National Pavilion will offer a worthy backdrop for the Czech participation in EXPO 2025, which will be held from April to October 2025 on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay. The pavilion will house a permanent exhibition, a multifunctional auditorium, facilities for business meetings, a restaurant, a VIP lounge, and a relaxation area in front of the pavilion with a view of the sea.

"Our national pavilion has already attracted a lot of attention abroad before the start of the World EXPO. It is a visually attractive, innovative, and technically sophisticated project. Moreover, as the first wooden building of its kind without a steel structure in Japan that meets strict safety standards, it has resonated so much that it has stirred up a public debate in the host country about CLT wooden buildings and their regulation. For Czech woodworking companies, the construction of the pavilion is a great reference contract and an opportunity to expand their activities. Moreover, wood buildings are products with high added value, which is in line with the Export Strategy of Czechia," says Ondřej Soška, Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025.

EXPO Team Czechia is preparing a national exposition in Japan under the title "Talent and Creativity for Life". In České Budějovice it is now also presenting itself at the Země živitelka in a separate stand for potential partners and the public.

World EXPOs are prestigious social, business, and cultural events. They are held once every five years, last six months, and are regularly visited by tens of millions of people. They provide a platform for the world's largest corporations and organizations to meet and present their latest ideas, solutions, and technological innovations to visitors. Therefore, it is a kind of equivalent to the Olympic Games of the non-sporting world and a great platform for strengthening a national brand.

The next EXPO will take place from April to October 2025 in the Japanese city of Osaka, in the Kansai region, with organizers expecting a visitor turnout of around 30 million people.

This will be the sixth time that Czechia, as an independent country, will participate in the World EXPO. Ondřej Soška, who won the tender of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with his concept and theme "Talent and Creativity for Life", will be the Commissioner General from September 2022. Czechia should present itself in Osaka not only with what the Japanese know very well and have long admired, such as Czech glass and classical music, but especially with Czech innovations, nanotechnologies, promising start-ups, and regional talents.