Ondrej Soska becomes the new Czech Commissioner General
On Thursday, 25 August 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský presented the proposal for the Czech participation at the EXPO 2025, which was approved by the Government at the end of June. Czechia will present the best Czech talent, creativity, and success in the fields of science, research, innovation, and technology in Osaka. Additionally, the topics of sustainability and Czechia as a tourist destination will be included. Minister Lipavský also presented Ondřej Soška as the new Commissioner General for the Czech participation at EXPO 2025. He was appointed by the Czech government on August 24th.
“In 2025, EXPO will return to Osaka, Japan after 55 years, and I am very glad Czechia will attend. We want our participation at EXPO 2025, outside of showcasing Czechia and its culture, to provide substantial space for the presentation of Czech companies and academic institutions,” says Minister Lipavský.
Czech’s participation at EXPO 2025 according to Lipavský will be tied to the Czechoslovak success from EXPO 1970, where 11 million people visited the national pavilion in Osaka. For the world exhibition in three years, Czechia is planning to construct an original pavilion using cross-laminated wood technology that combines creative architectural concepts and elements of sustainability.
In the application process for the Czech Commissioner General, Ondřej Soška was selected by a diverse commission of representatives from seven ministries, entrepreneurial representatives, and expert public. The government then announced Ondřej Soška as the Commissioner General for the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 on August 24th. Ondřej Soška was already selected in April this year as the Czech author for EXPO 2025 participation. In the past, he worked not only in Czechia but also in Great Britain, the USA, and the Middle and Far East. He has experience managing an international team, and he worked for international corporations, startups, and the public sector. He specializes in creating corporate strategies, international trade, and marketing.
While presenting the key areas that Czechia will introduce in Osaka in three years, Ondřej Soška introduced the Czech slogan for EXPO as “Talent and Creativity for Life. "These human qualities have been helping us to overcome partial problems for centuries and are the engine of constant progress and the basis of Czech success. Moreover, the slogan/theme fits well with the central motto of the entire EXPO 2025 - "We are designing the future society for our lives", explains Ondřej Soška, Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025.
According to Soška, the National Pavilion should attract the first impression with what the Japanese know very well and have long admired about the Czech Republic: from Czech glass to classical music. "I believe Czechia has a chance to gain attention in Osaka and attract many visitors. Inside the pavilion, we are planning to present Czech innovations, nanotechnologies, promising startups and regional talents. The aim is to create a strong story that will leave visitors with positive emotions long after they leave the Czech pavilion," adds Soška.
When designing his concept, Soška drew on his experience from his visits to the World EXPO exhibitions in Dubai and Milan, as well as his previous experiences, for example his study stay in Tokyo, where he gained valuable insight into Japanese culture, historical context and the Japanese way of thinking.