The final stop of the #road2expo conferences took place at Prague’s Main Station. Next stop: Osaka
On Sunday, April 13, 2025, the gates of the World EXPO 2025 will open at Osaka, Japan. Exactly one month before the start of the biggest event of the decade, the final conference of the #road2expo series was held at the Fantova Building at Prague's Main Railway Station. The event was organized by the Office of the Commissioner General in collaboration with e15 as a supporting activity for the business program of Czechia’s participation at EXPO 2025.
The Prague #road2expo event followed a morning press conference, where Ondřej Soška, the Commissioner General of Czechia's participation at EXPO 2025, along with his team, presented the current status of preparations for Czechia’s participation and the Czech National Pavilion. The pavilion is currently nearing completion, with the building inspection process scheduled for the following week.
Ondřej Soška spoke about the challenges of constructing the pavilion during his opening address in the first block of the #road2expo conference. “Our project, the Crystal Spiral, has been ambitious from the start, and when I first saw it and realized how little time we had for its construction, I had doubts. But we managed to complete it on time, and I’m very proud of the entire team involved in this project. EXPO 2025 will be the largest global event of the decade, with up to 30 million people expected to visit over the next six months, and we are ready to show that Czechia is a country full of talent and creativity.”
The conference was also greeted by the Japanese Ambassador to Czechia, Kansuke Nagaoka. “The preparations have been long and not always easy, but something is being created that Czechia can rightfully be proud of. I would like to invite all of you to Osaka; I am sure Japan will warmly welcome you, and you will thoroughly enjoy EXPO 2025.”
In the first panel, Jakub Kodr, the CEO of CTP Czechia, the national partner of Czechia's participation, took the floor. He emphasized that it is a great honor for CTP to be part of the World EXPO. The CTP group is also very excited to form new partnerships, business relationships, and friendships.
The Japanese market presents a direct opportunity for Czechia
The second half of the first panel focused on stories about how to live and succeed in Japan. Radek Špicar from the Confederation of Industry and Transport reminded the audience of the importance of looking for markets outside the European Union, to which Czechia is currently overly dependent. According to him, Japan offers a great opportunity for Czech companies. Other speakers agreed that the Land of the Rising Sun is stunning but also very specific. The approval process is often lengthy and cumbersome, but once partnerships are established, they last for many years. Sociologist Lenka Vyleťalová pointed out that the most important values for the Japanese are stability, loyalty, and harmony.
The second of the three panels was dedicated to the partners without whom Czechia's participation at EXPO 2025 would not have been possible. Ondřej Soška, together with the pavilion's chief architect Michal Gabaš, took to the CTP stage to give guests a preview of what awaits visitors at the Czech National Pavilion in Osaka. Jakub Kodr presented the plans of the national partner, CTP. Miloslav Masopust, CEO of Elmarco, invited the conference attendees to the NanoFiber Innovation. The vision of the Purposia group was presented by the chairman of the board, Jan Hasík. Lenka Králová, brand director at Pilsner Urquell, spoke about "the best beer in the world." Petr Vašta from the Regional Chamber of Commerce of the Karlovy Vary Region, Lucie Karlová, director of Preciosa Lighting, and Vladimír Fuchs, commercial director of OKsystem, also outlined the reasons for their cooperation with EXPO 2025.
The afternoon session concluded with Rony Plesl and Jiří Šín, who together presented the visitor journey. It will carry the symbolic name Things will happen while they can, inspired by the song "Big in Japan" by Alphaville. “We know the name will stir emotions, possibly even controversy, but in today’s turbulent world, we believe it’s important to have the right values in place,” adds Rony Plesl.
EXPO 2025, Shaped by Culture
The evening program of the #road2expo conference was dedicated to culture. The program was presented by Přemysl Pela, Ivo Kahánek, Václav Kuneš, and Věra Hrdinková. From April to October 2025, the Czech National Pavilion will host hundreds of musical, theatrical, and cross-genre performances. The highlight will be the National Day on July 24, 2025, when the Czech Philharmonic will perform alongside Cirk La Putyka, the Czech Radio Children’s Choir, and the event will conclude with a concert by singer Aiko.
Czechia will also have its own uniforms designed by Jan Černý, who previously gained attention and admiration for his Olympic collection for Paris 2024. The collection for EXPO 2025, according to Černý, blends Czech and Japanese workwear, a style that is currently resonating in the fashion world.
The conference also highlighted food, specifically a specially created menu that will be served in Japan over the next six months. Dumplings will take centre stage, with space also given to duck, head cheese served with onions and vinegar, or rollmops. For dessert, there will be sweet buns with vanilla custard or Fairy Tale Buns filled with plum jam or sweet cheese.
The day-long program concluded with a performance by the Japanese theatre Kyōgen, featuring the play The Mountain Ascetic, Thief of Persimmons, which offered a glimpse into the specifics of the Japanese soul.
The World EXPO 2025 will begin on April 13 and last for six months. 159 countries will participate, with organizers expecting up to 30 million visitors. The central theme is "Creating a Future Society for Our Lives."
