Riyadh in Saudi Arabia along with four other countries have joined the running to host Expo 2030.

While Dubai becomes the first Arab country to host the Expo 2020, another Arab country is in the running to the host upcoming Expo, and it is none other than Saudi Arabia that could be the second as they have submitted their 2030.

While Dubai Expo is the first to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia along with four other countries have joined the running to host Expo 2030.

The other countries and cities in the race are Moscow in Russia, Busan in the Republic of Korea, Italy in Rome, and Odesa in Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia proposes hosting the six-month Expo in Riyadh in October 2030 under the theme “The era of change: Leading the planet to a foresighted tomorrow.”

The final decision will be out based on a vote by 170 members of the Bureau International des Expositions in 2023.

Dimitri Kerkentzes, BIE secretary-general, said the bids were evidence of the compelling interest in Expos. “The BIE welcomes these five candidatures, which attest to the strong and shared desire for nations around the world to come together to shape a common vision for peace and human progress,” he said, adding, “The expression of these different visions for the future will be of interest to us all as we learn more about these candidatures in the project evaluation phase.”

For the final decision, all five bids will be examined, with each nation required to submit detailed dossiers of their proposals. The BIE will then organise inquiry missions to the countries to assess the feasibility of each project.

The BIE members will then choose the host country in 2023 during a general assembly, with each nation allowed one vote. All projects will be presented to members for the first time in December, and then in succeeding assemblies until the final vote.

Talking about Saudi’s bid, Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, “We live in an era of change, and we face an unprecedented need for humanity’s collective action. It is clear that the whole world, as a collective, needs to work together to foresee the future and address, with its brightest minds, the challenges and opportunities that emanate from this change.”