Expo 2030 Riyadh: an event that brings together culture, innovation and investment

Among these events that capture the world's attention every four years, the Universal Exhibition to be held soon in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, stands out. 

Expo 2030 Riyadh is an exceptional project that redefines the concept of 21st-century exhibitions. Saudi Arabia aims not only to organise a major event, but also to offer a comprehensive civilisational narrative that expresses its deep cultural identity and embodies its modern vision based on openness, innovation and human dialogue. 

The country seeks to project a renewed and global image of itself, showcasing the progress made under Vision 2030: the ability to fuse tradition and modernity, a millennial legacy with an ambition to build a knowledge economy and a society open to the world. 

According to engineer Talal Al-Marri, executive director of Expo 2030 Riyadh—a company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund—the site will occupy more than six million square metres in the heart of the capital. Of these, two million will be allocated to the main event area, with a capacity for 415,000 visitors per day, and four million to support services and logistics. More than 42 million visits are expected over six months, with the participation of 197 countries and 29 international organisations, as well as 52,000 Saudi volunteers trained to assist visitors and participants. 

With these figures and capabilities, the Kingdom is moving forward to make Expo 2030 Riyadh a global platform that showcases its cultural, economic and human face, demonstrating its hospitality, creativity and commitment to sustainable development. 

Expo 2030 Riyadh will also be a model of international image management, consolidating the country's position as a leader capable of organising world-class events with unprecedented standards, reflecting precise planning and professional execution. In addition, it will act as a global communication space from which Saudi Arabia will disseminate its vision of development and its achievements in innovation, sustainability, artificial intelligence and clean energy. 

In the economic sphere, the exhibition will contribute to diversifying investment and strengthening the attractiveness of the Saudi market to investors from around the world, showcasing opportunities for partnership in technology, infrastructure, culture and tourism, in line with the global trend towards smart cities and sustainable projects. 

For Spanish readers, Riyadh's role can be compared to that of Barcelona in the 1992 Olympic Games: an event that redefined the city in the eyes of the world and made it a benchmark for culture and innovation. It is also reminiscent of Seville at Expo 1992, which reimagined modern Spain. Saudi Arabia is now following a similar path, albeit on a larger scale and with an economic and cultural vision that blends tradition and global innovation. 

But the most important thing will be the cultural and human role of the exhibition, which will foster direct civilisational dialogue between peoples and present the Kingdom as an open, diverse country committed to understanding. Visitors will learn about the history of the Arabian Peninsula, the evolution of Saudi art, architecture and science, and the values that define its contemporary identity: generosity, innovation and determination. 

Hasan Alnajrani, Saudi journalist and academic