PARIS, April 29. / TASS /. The International Bureau of Exhibitions has received an application from Russia to host the world exhibition "Expo-2030" in Moscow, according to the information provided by the bureau on Thursday.

Russia's application was the first, the rest of the candidates will be able to submit their applications by the end of October this year. "The Russian Federation today sent a letter proposing its candidacy to host the 2030 World Exhibition in Moscow. The letter from Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was delivered to BIE General Secretary Dimitri Kerkentzes by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Alexei Gruzdev and Russian Ambassador to France Alexei Meshkov," the statement said.

The theme chosen for the Russian Expo is "Human Progress. Shared vision for the World of Harmony." If the application is approved, the exhibition will be held from April 27 to October 27 in Moscow. So far, Moscow's application is the only one, and with its receipt, the BIE has started the countdown: the rest of the countries have six months (until October 29, 2021) to declare their candidacy for the Expo-2030.

Upon the expiration of this period, the Bureau will assess each project, after which the winner will be determined by the results of a vote, in which 169 countries participating in the BIE will take part. The organization notes that Russia is "an active state-participant of the BIE" and regularly participates in world and specialized exhibitions. "It's participation has been repeatedly noted with awards, including at the world exhibition Expo 2010 in Shanghai and Expo 2015 in Milan," the bureau's press service said.

"The interest in Expo 2030 is a strong signal that humankind is always looking to the future with a sense of optimism and progress. This passion and aspiration shows that people around the world yearn for a fruitful and meaningful exchange of experiences that brings us closer together," - said the Secretary General of the BIE Dimitri Kerkentzes.

World Universal Exhibitions have been held since 1851 and are the largest global platforms for presenting the latest achievements and technologies.

As the bureau representative explained to TASS, there is no rotation between the continents, the only limitation is that exhibitions cannot be held in the same country more often than once every 15 years. The last time Expo was organized in 2015 in Milan. In 2020, the exhibition was scheduled in Dubai (UAE), but it was postponed to October 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2025, Japan's Osaka is preparing to host the international event.