Portuguese pavilion presented at the Expo 2025 in Osaka

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro presided over the presentation of the Portuguese pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, to run from 13 April to 13 October. The Portuguese theme is: "Oceans: Blue Dialogue" and will have a standing exhibition on the future of the seas. 

Luís Montenegro recalled that "Portugal is one of the countries that, on the United Nations level has been most engaged and committed" to preserving knowledge of oceans, "a direction that is increasingly solid in many countries" and "not just the ones which, lie us, have a highly significative maritime area", but also those who are "concerned with climate change, protecting biodiversity, the UN SDGs".

"We are a planet where oceans account for more than 80% of biodiversity" and "we are a country where oceans represent more than 97% of the territory, something which isn’t often mentioned", he stated.

The Prime Minister also said that "Portugal is and was a country with a universal and ecumenic vocation, our history proves this", and "it was a nation that contributed to discovering the world and brining other geographical spaces closer", yet "we are at a time where, as a country who discovered the world, we are interested in the world discovering Portugal".

The World Expo is one of the sites where we can try to achieve this goal in a quicker way" "because we will be exposed to many conditions who might not be as familiar with the Portuguese reality today", he added. The Portuguese expo’s commissariat’s expectation is that the Portuguese pavilion to reach or go beyond 1.4 million.

Luís Montenegro noted that Portugal "is at the forefront on many areas" "which we must show to lever our economy and contribute to our role in the world". The Portuguese participation is counting on more than 150 national companies, associations, municipalities, and artists.

Due to its tradition and values "to bring people and cultures together, to promote peace and essential values", Portugal "can add a lot and make the most of this by showing our culture, our cutting-edge knowledge, starting with oceans, our technologies, and the innovation that transforms people’s lives".

And also "show our traditions, which are unique and an asset that we must use, whether us or others who can discover them and appreciate them, contributing to our success and wealth generation", he said.

The Commissioner-General expects trade relations, namely those between Portugal and Japan, and the low number of Japanese students attending Portuguese universities will grow after the exhibition.

The Portuguese pavilion, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, is made using thousands of sea cables and recycled fishing nets. The overall investment of the Portuguese participation is 21 million euros.

Portugal is one of the 161 countries to attend the Expo dedicated to "Designing Future Society for our Lives".