Expo 2017 ends in Astana with joining of 4m visitors

The light rain and heavy security did little to dampen spirits as Expo 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan wrapped up on Sunday with a grand finale that included musical concerts from many countries, two parades, and fireworks.

Spectators and expo volunteers donned raincoats and bore umbrellas to the stage to watch DJs and live music in many languages.

During a break in the musical performances, the official closing ceremony took place at the Congress Center adjacent to the expo grounds, and was broadcast live to the expo amphitheatre as well to national and international television.

The ceremony began by stating that 4 million visitors from 178 countries attended the expo, including 53 heads of state and government. In all, 96 hours were required to experience the entire expo, and the event employed 4500 volunteers. There were 3500 live shows in only 90 days, and photos and videos from Expo 2017 were shared 100 million times across social media.

A total of 153 new inventions were unveiled for the expo. A laser light show expressed the progress of international expos throughout modern history, finally settling on Expo 2017.

In a brief video speech, Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), said that the expo “provided input, ideas and inspiration,” for alternative energy, as well as being a “showcase for best practices.” He also said that Expo 2017 has made itself a place in the history of expos.” He went on to thank Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan, the expo organisers, volunteers, pavilion designers and operators, the vendors, staff and visitors to Expo 2017.

The blue flag of the BIE was taken down with great ceremony, folded and given back to Steen Christensen, president of BIE by Akhmetzhan Yessimov, Chairman of the Board of the expo.

Following a rousing speech by President Nazarbayev, the audience rose and clasped hands, forming a human chain from the Congress Center auditorium to a staircase leading to Nur Alem, the expo’s spherical centerpiece building.

A child ran up and touched the sphere, causing it to light up with symbols of the expo and a giant eagle, a national symbol of Kazakhstan. Messages of thanks and hope were projected across the building as fireworks blazed across the sky above the expo grounds in a thunderous display. Concerts continued well into the night, celebrating the end of the expo.

The theme of Expo 2017 was Future Energy, bringing together 115 countries as well as 22 international groups to discuss and display their respective ambitions, goals and achievements in the worlds of renewable, alternate or future energy production. The expo opened on June 11.