Meeting with Mayor of Yeosu City Korea - and Correspondence to the BIE

Dear Supporters,

Just a quick message to let you know that I have today met again the Mayor of Yeosu City, Mr Kim Chung-seog, and attended a paper given by him to the Asia Pacific Cities Summit, this year hosted by Brisbane City Australia, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Mr Kim was upbeat at my meeting him and seemed to recall our first meeting at the 4th Assembly of the Association of Expo Cities and Regions at Shanghai World Expo 2010 last year.

He gave an interesting presentation/progress report on Yeosu Expo 2012 for Summit delegates, and also showed a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation, which included a 7-minute video presentation.

The floor was opened for questions at the end of the paper, where Australia's confirmed presence at Yeosu Expo 2012 was duly noted by officials from Trade Queensland, the Trade development arm of the Queensland Government. No doubt, Queensland is looking forward to strong representation within the Australia Pavilion at Yeosu and will fund accordingly.

As a former staff member of Korea's last Exposition - Taejon Expo 93, it was a pleasure to see this progress report on Korea's next Exposition. I wish them every success.

I also forwarded an email to the Secretary-General of the BIE, Sr Vicente Loscertales, thanking the BIE for the opportunity to meet Mr Kim at A.V.E. at Shanghai, and how I look forward to further furthering these important inter-city Expo links on future occasions, including A.V.E. at Yeosu next year.

I attach here said correspondence to the BIE, which includes a photo, taken today, with the Mayor.

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7 July 2011

H.E. Sr Vicente Loscertales
Secretary-General
Bureau of International Expositions
Paris France

ATTN: Ms Martine Leyrat, Communications



Dear Secretary-General

MEETING WITH MAYOR OF YEOSU CITY, KOREA

 Greetings from the Antipodes!


Thank you for your office's kind ongoing support.


This email is to inform you that I have been strengthening our inter-city World Expositions links, furthered through my representation as an Observer for Brisbane City at last year's Assembly of the Association of Expo Cities and Regions at Shanghai World Expo 2010, kindly arranged through your office, with a brief meeting today with Mayor of Yeosu City, Mr Kim Chung-seog, at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre earlier today.


Mr Kim was a speaker at the Summit, and I was able to attend for his paper, which was a presentation/progress report on Yeosu Expo 2012, and included a brief speech by Mr Kim, as well as a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation.


It was a pleasure to meet Mr Kim and his delegation again after our inaugural meeting at A.V.E. in Shanghai and further the important links between World Expo '88 and Expo 2012.


As you may also know, it is heartening that Australia has decided to be represented at Yeosu, just recently, which was further to several emails lobbying my local Federal member of Parliament, marked in attention to our Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Mr Kevin Rudd MP, our former Prime Minister. As you may know, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade looks after Australia's representation at World Expositions.


Foundation Expo '88 wishes to take this opportunity to thank the BIE again for facilitating these important Expo City links through A.V.E. and looks forward to either accompanying the Brisbane City delegation or, once again representing Brisbane City as an Observer at A.V.E. at Yeosu.


Brisbane is yet to ratify it's membership of A.V.E., but please be assured that Foundation Expo '88 shall continue to do it's utmost to see Brisbane City's official ratification of it's membership, and until that time shall seek to represent Brisbane as an Observer at future A.V.E. Assemblies, in order to further this cause, through which I shall no doubt be seeking once again your office's kind support.


With thanks, and with warmest regards to your Bureau staff,




John R McGregor
Executive Director Foundation Expo '88


http://www.foundationexpo88.org


Brisbane, Queensland, Australia


Co-host The World's Fair Podcast
http://www.worldsfairpodcast.com


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Tel +61417 434105


"It is a great and glorious end to bless the sons of man,
And meet for peace and doing good, in kindness, while we can;
It is a greater, and more blest, the human heart to raise
Up to the God who giveth all, with gratitude and praise."

Excerpt from prose by Martin Tupper Farquhar, on the 1851 London Crystal Palace Exhibition