JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia began the journey of establishing its pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on Friday with a groundbreaking ceremony in the port city. The ceremony was held in the presence of Othman Al-Mazyad, general commissioner of the Kingdom’s pavilion at World Expo 2025. Expo 2025 will be held from April 13 to Oct. 13 in 2025. More than 28 million people are expected to visit Osaka during the event, which will be held under the slogan, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” During the ceremony, Al-Mazyad said “At Expo 2025 we look forward to sharing the Kingdom’s profound history and diverse culture with the world, as well as showcasing innovation and creativity. Today’s ceremony marks the start of that journey.” The exhibition slogan reflects three sub-themes within the framework of the Expo. These include Saving Lives, Empowering Lives, and Connecting Lives. The Kingdom will hope to replicate its impact at Expo 2020 in Dubai, where it displayed its heritage, culture, creativity, and artistic and societal innovations. It attracted nearly 5 million visitors at that event, and won several awards, including Exhibitor magazine’s Best Large Pavilion, best interior design and best presentation. In addition to winning the Platinum Certificate in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, presented by the US Green Building Council, the Saudi pavilion in Dubai set three Guinness World Records: Largest Interactive Light Floor, Longest Interactive Water Curtain, and, at 32 meters long, Largest Interactive Digital Screen Mirror.