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Yekaterinburg makes final pitch to host Expo 2025

Alexander Chernov, Director General of World Expo 2025 Ekaterinburg Bid Committee, inoted that an admission ticket will cost some $17

Russian delegation with Russian singer Aida Garifullina, right, and Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, second left at the 164th General Assembly of the BIE in Paris AP Photo/Christophe Ena

Russian delegation with Russian singer Aida Garifullina, right, and Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, second left at the 164th General Assembly of the BIE in Paris

© AP Photo/Christophe Ena

PARIS, November 23. /TASS/. The final presentation by the Russian Urals city of Yekaterinburg as a bidder to host the 2025 World Expo took place at the 156th General Assembly of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on November 23, a TASS correspondent reported.

"We believe that this time is for Russia. We’ve put forward Yekaterinburg as one of the most dynamic Russian cities to host the World Expo," Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov emphasized.

Read also

Yekaterinburg’s bid for Expo-2025

Alexander Chernov, Director General of World Expo 2025 Ekaterinburg Bid Committee, in turn noted that an admission ticket will cost less than 15 euros ($17). "We expect 180 countries to come," he added.

The Russian city’s rivals are Osaka (Japan) and Baku (Azerbaijan), which rolled out their presentations first. A secret ballot will kick off after Yekaterinburg’s pitch.

Paris also submitted its bid but withdrew from the race in early 2018.

According to the bureau’s rules, a candidate must gather two-thirds of the votes cast, or more to win. If no candidate is elected outright, then the two candidates with the most votes will immediately move into a runoff contest.

The vote is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. Moscow time.

It is the second time that Yekaterinburg is trying to host the world Expo. The city had previously bid the 2020 World Expo but lost to Dubai. The 2025 World Expo will meet under the theme "Changing the World: Innovations and Better Life for Future Generations.".

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