Working for Sweden at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai is equal parts amazing, lovely, turbulent, intensive and insane. In a good way.
His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden receiving flowers from Ana-Sofia Wu, age 6 at the National Sweden pavilion day. With Deputy Prime Minister Maud Olofsson in the background. Photo: Paul Philip Abrigo Copyright © 2010
Over the past months I’ve been been working as a Press Officer and Photographer for the Swedish Committee for the participation at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, or World’s Fair as I would have called it if I thought it sounded nicer. For the first time in my life, I’ve really and truly begun to understand the otherwise carelessly thrown around keywords intensity, flexibility and commitment. But I also learned the meaning of another word; reward.
Sure, I’ve done some fun things in life which took me places and had me meet fun and unimportant, boring and important, sane and crazy, people and beings, but never ever these many in such a short while. Shaking hands with His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, an endless list of politicians and artists and entrepreneurs (my favourite being Mikael Genberg of the Moon House project) is of course fun and ego-boosting, but I have to say the ordinary, daily meetings with the people of Shanghai, China and planet Earth have been the most rewarding. Look at this article about Buddhist monks visiting the Swedish exhibition for instance, or the Children of Hope.
I don’t know what you heard or read about the Word Expo 2010 in Shanghai, the biggest World Expo in (known) human history and the thrid biggest recurring event on planet, but it is awsome I tell you. And having some of my loved ones and family near, supporting and sharing all this craziness is even a bigger gift. Thanks!
So enough with the big words and epic story telling, I’ll just let part of my work speak for itself: http://www.swedenexpo.cn/en/news/newslist/news_author/10/. And hey, if you happen to swing by Shanghai, the biggest city proper in the world, please consider getting decadent with me and my comrades, til’ then, see you at www.swedenexpo.cn.
PS Don’t miss out on the Swedish Royal Wedding this week
