Expo newsflash

NDR survey on EXPO with skeptical results – sexy EXPO – action week against the EXPO

The millennium countdown has paid off, now the final spurt to the opening day of the 1st world expo begins. World’s fair on german soil. The united states are still not officially represented at the EXPO, but one would like to keep a door open for the USA. According to the report, a commission will fly to the states to look for common ways of participation. A particular difficulty for the organizers is the fact that, according to a decision of the congress, no public funds may be used for the world exposition. But we don’t have to worry, because chancellor gerhard schroder as ex-father of the state and savior in all situations will surely find an amicable solution with bill clinton.

Embarrassing surprises in the EXPO survey of the norddeutscher rundfunk among the population of lower saxony: only one percent of all respondents want to travel to the EXPO 2000 by organized bus tours. At the same time, hanoverians will breathe a sigh of relief in view of the expected traffic volume, as two-thirds of those surveyed intend to travel by public transport. Drivers are found in the 25-34 age group, while the older and more educated segments of the population tend to use public transport more often. The 18 to 24 year olds stand out once again because they cannot give any information about the place and time of the EXPO 2000. Here, the advertising strategies of the world’s fair do not yet seem to have fallen on fertile ground.

Even if EXPO sees the survey results positively, skepticism is more appropriate. Similarly to the popular vote on the EXPO, there is still only a narrow approval rating. The clearest values are found among younger respondents. Thus 60 per cent have rather positive expectations, while 20 per cent each have rather fears and/or. Have not yet decided. The same figures are available for an evaluation of the success of the EXPO; here, too, 60 percent believe in the success of the world exhibition. The skepticism is then reflected in the evaluation of whether the respondents are more in favor of the expo or against it. Here, 57 percent are undivided in their support for the expo, but 22 percent are still unsure of their opinion. Still 13 percent are rather against it.

At least there seems to be a consensus on the importance of the world exhibition for lower saxony. Thus, 52 percent see a high significance and 29 percent at least "some importance" at the expected rough draft for the state of lower saxony. Only 13 percent see "little" if not "none at all" importance.

The expo will have to ask itself why interest in the world exhibition is significantly lower among women than among men. Moreover, the survey results show that older people do not intend to come to hanover. Only just under half of the respondents from lower saxony want to come to the expo at all, while 40 percent have already ruled out a visit for themselves. Only 16 percent have not yet made up their minds about a visit.

City of bad nenndorf without EXPO construction sites

There the new city bath nenndorf had luck once again. As already reported, various roads were to be torn up in the tranquil spa town during the EXPO in order to be able to change the gray cast iron gas line pipes. Meanwhile, the city has reached an agreement with the developer wesertal to suspend tree removal during the world expo. As of now, however, the asphalt will be torn up and replacement work will begin. All work in progress, however, should be completed by the time of the EXPO. Thus, a smooth tourism during the EXPO 2000 is guaranteed. Immediately after the EXPO it is to go on.

Sexy EXPO

For the advertising strategists the youth seems to be an important contact person for the world exhibition, because now one wanted to make the EXPO appear sexy. For too long, the public has been talking about squabbles, internal affairs and financial problems, and the new head of communications, andreas lampersbach, wants to put an end to this. Promptly, other verbs are used to show that the world expo is attractive, attractive and appealing. In order to get this into the heads of the people, the EXPO will invest about 40 million marks in a new advertising campaign. This is to underline the uniqueness of the world expo for the youth and to draw a line under the self-pity.

Action week against the EXPO

A forum contribution gave the cue to look again at the opponents of the EXPO. But the result is even more nuchterner than a few weeks ago. The ASTA of the university of hanover should be responsible for this, but since the 09.12.1999 "there should be a newly designed homepage next monday". So we have to wait patiently for some monday.

According to information of the partisan-net is to be from 14. To the age of 16. The federal meeting of the anti-expo will still take place in hannover on january 1, but unfortunately there are no closer indications, even after a telephone conversation with ASTA. In the meantime there is a quite extensive schedule of events under the calendar of events.

Perhaps the anti-expo-forum will have more to do at the latest when castor transports really should roll during the world exposition. In this case, numerous associations have announced protests during the EXPO. The police president hans-dieter klosa sees himself overburdened by additional tasks and emphasizes that "a parallel event EXPO and castor transport not at all to answer for" be. In his opinion, there would even be a damage to the image of the world exhibition and germany, if the transports were really rolled at the same time as the world exhibition. Possible terrorist attacks on railroad tracks were sure to deter visitors from visiting hannover.

EXPO projects

The number of EXPO projects worldwide illustrates the synergy effects of the world exposition. There are nearly 800 projects in 123 countries, which have chosen the motto "mankind – nature – technology" "man – nature – technology" have written on the flags. The german projects were selected in mid-december. From over 2.000 applications, 280 projects were finally recognized as official EXPO projects. As the general commissioner birgit breuel points out, this competition alone has generated an investment boost of 15 million marks, and more than 5.000 highly qualified jobs were created. A selection of the projects, which can also be visited on site, will be presented at the "global house" on the EXPO-plaza can see.

Training courses

A lot of service personnel is either hired especially for the EXPO or trained by the companies. According to a report in the hannoversche allgemeine (HAZ), deutsche bahn has meanwhile instructed 4.000 train attendants. Suffisantly, the reporter notes that these train attendants were previously called conductors.

In two-day courses also the personnel in the long-distance trains was prepared for the EXPO. The railroad expects several hundred thousand additional passengers during the five-month world exhibition. Since there will be foreign passengers among them, a small language course is included in the program. This is what a statement from the railroad company is supposed to have said: "the conductors should be able to exchange at least a few sentences in english…" in passing, courtliness and friendliness were discussed, because the EXPO guests were informed about possible delays already in the train compartment. The service provider and world partner railroad is coming, but when it really arrives, it can now communicate to the guests in english.

Unpleasant service charge bill for residents of EXPO housing estate

In the immediate vicinity of the world’s fairgrounds, the kronsberg housing estate with more than 3,000 sq. M. Of living space has been built.000 apartments built. The houses were to be built in a special low-energy design, characteristic of the modern housing development, but the surprise came with the first utility bills that the residents have now received. They were blindsided by the fact that the heating bill revealed a substantial demand for additional payment. The tenants are furious and feel cheated, because they had expected so much from the low-energy construction method.

In the meantime, there is open speculation as to whether the planning was miscalculated or whether the residents were unable to cope with modern ventilation technology. Experts explain that up to 20 percent additional costs will have to be calculated because of the building moisture. The dust has not yet settled, because at a tenants’ meeting attended by almost 100 tenants, accusations were made that point to complicity on the part of the developer. The tenants were advised to simply tape up the air exchangers, the meter readers were missing for a while, and the tenants probably had to help finance the heating of empty, damp apartments. A round of talks with representatives of the public utility company, the city, the developers and the residents should now bring a solution. The tenants demand a deferment of payment until the final clarification, but the public utility company, as the energy supplier, does not agree to this. A spokesman for the developers asked for understanding, saying that after all "kronsberg was an experiment, and experiments always involve teething problems and". It remains to be hoped for the residents that they will not be guinea pigs and that this experiment will not be to their detriment.