Rome up against Riyadh and Busan for Expo 2030.

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday added his voice to Rome's bid to host Expo 2030, addressing the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris by video message.

Delegations from Rome, Riyadh and Busan convened in the French capital to make a final pitch to host Expo 2030 before the BIE assembly votes for the winning candidate next month.

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"Places and people, nations and territories, the Earth and humanity" - Mattarella said in the video - "These are the protagonists of the proposal by Rome and Italy for Expo 2030."

"Luoghi e persone, popoli e territori, la terra e l'umanità. Questi vogliono essere i protagonisti della proposta che Roma e l'Italia formulano per l'Expo del 2030. Expo è un veicolo formidabile di carattere educativo, di conoscenze e confronto di disponibilità reciproche".… pic.twitter.com/49o7i39mSs

— Expo 2030 Roma (@Expo2030Roma) October 11, 2023

Hailing Rome as a "promoter of civilization, hospitality and dialogue with the numerous cultures that have enriched its identity over millennia", Mattarella said the city and its people have been "capable of welcoming, of producing innovation, of continuously regenerating the urban fabric of what historians define as the Eternal City."

Under the banner of 'People and Territories: Regeneration, Inclusion and Innovation', Rome's candidacy is "inspired by the principles of inclusion, respect for human rights and the values of democracy", the city's mayor Roberto Gualtieri said in Paris.

Rome promoted its bid to host #Expo2030 with a spectacular drone light show at the Colosseum last night. @Expo2030Romapic.twitter.com/s1ywAL3OtP

— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) April 22, 2023

The celebrated Italian dancer Roberto Bolle, accompanied by La Scala prima ballerina Nicoletta Manni, treated delegates in Paris to a special dance performance to mark the occasion.

"I chose to support Rome's Expo candidacy" - Bolle said - "for love of my country and because I share the values and themes at the centre of Italy's proposal."

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Bolle is the latest in a series of well-known figures to throw their weight behind Rome's Expo bid, including Gladiator star Russell Crowe, astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and athlete Bebe Vio.

Russell Crowe lends his voice to Rome’s bid to host Expo 2030. @Expo2030Roma pic.twitter.com/QASidAk2If

— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) June 21, 2023

Rome is placing a heavy emphasis on human rights and democracy in its bid to host Expo 2030 which, if successful, would provide a chance to "invite the whole world to reflect on how to make our cities more sustainable and inclusive," according to Gualtieri.

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The host country will be elected by member states of the BIE during the organisation’s 173rd general assembly on 28 November.

If no candidate gets two thirds of the votes in the first round, the third-placed candidate is eliminated and the two remaining candidates move into a second round, with the winner elected by a simple majority.