Expo 2030 Riyadh has signed an agreement with Expo 2027 Belgrade to exchange expertise as Saudi Arabia prepares to host its first World Expo.
The agreement was signed during an official ceremony in Belgrade and will allow the two organising bodies to share knowledge on planning, operational readiness, event management and post-Expo legacy development.
The partnership comes as both Saudi Arabia and Serbia prepare to host major Expo events for the first time, with Belgrade staging the next Specialised Expo in 2027 and Riyadh hosting the World Expo in 2030.
Under the agreement, teams from both sides will take part in site visits, workshops, observation programs, expert exchanges and other joint activities focused on practical lessons from Expo preparations.
The cooperation will cover areas including governance, site development, participant management, digital systems, operational readiness and management of Expo operations during the event period.
Talal Al-Marri, Chief Executive of Expo 2030 Riyadh, said the agreement reflects the long-standing tradition of cooperation between Expo organisers. He said the exchange of experience helps improve delivery, reduce organisational risks and keep knowledge moving across the Expo network.
He added that Riyadh would benefit from insights gathered during the planning and execution of Expo 2027 Belgrade, particularly as work on Expo 2030 accelerates across operational, infrastructure and construction tracks.
Danilo Jerinić, Director of Expo 2027 Belgrade, said the agreement reflects the shared responsibility of both events towards the World Expo legacy, international participants and the future of the global platform.
He said one of the most important legacies of Expos is the knowledge gained by the teams that organise them, adding that Belgrade provides an opportunity to pass that experience on to future global events.
Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions, attended the signing ceremony and said each Expo builds on the experience of previous editions.
“What lies ahead is of particular significance and presents an extraordinary opportunity by every measure”, he said.
“We have two countries that are entirely new to the Expo system, the Republic of Serbia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both hosting this global event for the first time”.
The Expo 2030 Riyadh delegation’s visit to Belgrade also included high-level meetings, a specialist session on preparations for the International Participants Meeting at Expo 2027 Belgrade and a tour of the Expo site.
Organisers said the cooperation between Belgrade and Riyadh supports the BIE’s wider mission of using Expos as platforms for international cooperation, shared action and global progress.