From May 1 to October 31, 2015 Italy will host Expo Milan 2015 [2], the world’s largest stage to foster dialogue, aggregate ideas, and showcase innovations in food, sustainability, science, industry, economics, entrepreneurship and other elements between countries.

For the first time in the history of world’s fairs the theme is food: “Feeding the Planet, Energy. for Life.” this theme will unite 140-plus countries into action around the challenges and opportunities facing the global food system and the sustainable development of the planet.

The United States will join to show their role as a leader and innovator not only in the food sector, but also in many aspects of culture, science and business. Using provocative, interactive exhibits and state-of-the-art digital media, the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 will highlight American industry, talent, products, ingenuity and entrepreneurship within the context of sustainability, nutrition and health, consumption, technology and innovation. On July 16, 2014, Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015 announced several key partnerships during a reception hosted in Washington by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry [3] to mark the groundbreaking for the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015.

GE joins a growing list of partners at the forefront of American innovation that are supporting the USA Pavilion. Current partners include Uvet, DuPont [4], illy, SageGlass, 3M, McKinsey & Company and FleishmanHillard.
 
“As a global leader in advancing food security, the United States feels we have to seize this opportunity to be involved in the 2015 World Expo in a significant way,” said Secretary Kerry during the reception, attended by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi [5], former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, Ambassador David Thorne, Incoming Milan Consul General Philip Reeker [6], U.S. Special Representative for Global Partnerships Andrew O’Brien [7], U.S. Special Representative for Food Security Nancy Stetson [8], USA Pavilion partners and supporters, and other guests at the U.S. Department of State. “The Milan World Expo of 2015 is a chance for us to share with the world the work that American scientists, chefs, entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen all continue to do day in and day out and hopefully help people to understand the ways in which we can make progress in the future.”

“This is not simply a fair celebrating food, and I want people to understand that. This is much more serious, much more broad in its scope, much more visionary in its purpose, and it is important for people to understand that. From the very first World’s Fair that opened its doors in 1851, more than 60 World’s Fairs and Expos have taken place around the world. And each and every single one of them has been about the same thing: innovation, the future.”
 
During a simultaneous reception in Milan, U.S. Ambassador to Italy John Phillips joined members of the Italian government, Expo 2015 officials, and other partners at a groundbreaking ceremony for the USA Pavilion. Featuring a fully functioning vertical farm, the pavilion will showcase America’s unique role in the future of food around the world with the theme “American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet.” Pavilion programs and events will range from interactive exhibits and tastings to topical salons, regional food trucks and an innovation accelerator.
 
“GE is excited to participate in the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 and help represent the tremendous innovation that American companies are bringing to the global food system,” said Jeffrey Immelt [9], chairman and CEO of GE. “GE is dedicated to finding solutions to the world's biggest challenges, including the challenge of feeding the world. The USA Pavilion presents a terrific opportunity to showcase what U.S. companies bring to this challenge, including sustainable solutions for energy, transportation, clean water and health.”
 
The Friends organization – a collaboration between the James Beard Foundation and the International Culinary Center [10], in association with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy [11] – is still seeking partners to represent America’s diversity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, and create a global call to action around the challenges of feeding the planet.
 
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with GE and our other generous sponsors on this important opportunity to address food-system issues and challenges on an international stage,” said Dorothy Hamilton, president of Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015. “Together, we’ll engage with the global community to start a powerful conversation, and encourage action, to meet the challenges of the global food crisis. America has a lot to offer to this discussion, both scientifically and culturally, and we welcome others who wish to join us in representing the very best of the USA to the world.”

“In total, 140 countries are slated to take part in this event,” Kerry concluded, “Tens of millions of visitors are expected. And we’re expecting millions more people to join us online and interactively. And that means that businesses, the ones that take part in the USA Pavilion, are going to be able to reach huge new audiences in every corner of the globe. So everybody who comes to take part in this is going to be part of being an ambassador, in effect. And the Italians have a saying that’s very similar to one that we have here in the United States: “Batti il ferro finche è caldo,” which means, if I said it correctly – (laughter) – strike while the iron is hot. My friends, the iron is hot.”

 
For more information about the USA Pavilion or to become a sponsor, please visit:
>>> [12]