Russian Pavilion & Russia Day at Expo 2012

The international exposition Expo 2012 with the theme of The Living Ocean and Coast: Various Resources and Their Sustainable Use will take place from May 12 to August 12 in Yeosu, South Korea. Russia’s National Day was held in the run-up to Expo 2012.

Russia Day at Expo 2012 began with the raising of the Russian flag in the center of the exhibition grounds, in front of the Expo Hall, with a military band playing the Russian national anthem.

The cultural program for Russia Day began with a performance by the Russian folk dance ensemble Berezka. This renowned dance ensemble was founded in 1948 and has performed in over 80 countries around the world.

On their current visit to South Korea, the performers treated the Expo visitors to some choreography masterpieces: the Berezka and Tsepochka choirs.

The Russian frigate Nadezhda entered the South Korean port of Yeosu twice in a period of a few days – once for the opening of Expo 2012 on May 9 and again on the eve of Russia’s National Day.

Russia Day at Expo 2012 was rounded off with a performance by dancers from the Bolshoi and Marinsky theaters, the Kremlevsky Ballet Theater and the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theater.

Meanwhile, the Russia Pavilion was greeting visitors as usual. It is no exaggeration to say that the Russian exposition is one of the most popular at Expo 2012. In the first month alone 130,000 people visited the exhibition.

Russia’s theme for the international exhibition in Yeosu is The Ocean and Man. The Path from the Past to the Future. The exposition talks about studies of the world’s ocean and the Arctic. A section of the exhibition is given over to various stages in the development of the Northern Sea Route, put together in the form of an ice tunnel where the temperature is 10 degrees colder than outside.

The next section of the exhibition attracting great interest is a 3-D attraction. Visitors are plunged to the bottom of the ocean in the sunken wreckage of the Titanic, and go for a walk in the Arctic snow.

Finally, the last hall is the most replete with information. Flickering screens of information are projected onto the mirrored walls of a "Digital Library."

The display stands exhibit models of the Mir deep submersible vehicle, models of the new-generation nuclear-powered ice breakers and the passive safety systems of Russia’s nuclear power plants.

At the end of the tour, visitors to the pavilion have the opportunity to stand on the ship’s deck. This interactive exhibition has been nominated for the Expo 2012 International Jury prize in the Best Exhibition category.