Visitors to Expo 2025, a world fair currently being held in Osaka, Japan, appreciate the “positive vison” of a shared global future promoted by the United Nations; that’s according to Naomi Ichikawa, Director of the UN Pavilion:

What are the different sections of the pavilion and what they're trying to achieve?

We have four exhibit zones. The first zone portrays 80 years of UN history, highlighting key milestones from 1945 until today. It also shows the changing relationship between Japan and the UN.

In the 1940s following the devastation of the Second World War, Japan was a recipient of UN assistance. But after Japan joined the UN (in 1956) it gradually started to take leadership in different areas, for example in climate change issues, disaster risk reduction and in the provision of Universal Health Coverage.

Zone two shows the work of diverse UN entities. Visitors will notice that there are many everyday objects on the wall; a toilet, helmet, car seat, post box but they may not realize that these items are actually closely related to the work of the UN.

By tapping on the monitor, the items light up and an explanation is given about its relationship to the work of the UN.

One of the aims of this zone is to demonstrate that the UN is not just about conflict resolution. In Japan, when the UN is mentioned, many people think about the Security Council and ask why Japan isn’t a permanent member. 

We wanted to show in an interesting interactive way that the UN's work is so much more than that.

In zone three, which represents the future, we show through an immersive movie, a vision of the sustainable future that we can achieve if we work together. In the movie, the UN Secretary-General says that this future is not automatic, but it is one that we can achieve together.

The final part of the pavilion is the special exhibition zone that features the work of different UN entities each week. 

What is the most surprising reaction you've had from a visitor?

There has been great interest and engagement in the immersive video which envisions a hopeful future that all humanity can enjoy if we work together. It has a very simple message about collaboration which can be easily understood by people of all ages and backgrounds.

Many people have been deeply affected by its message and I have seen some moved to tears.

I believe visitors feel closer to the UN after experiencing the video and the rest of the pavilion. I am from Japan and I think many people are surprised to meet a Japanese national working for the UN. That also helps to bring them closer to the work of the UN.

Read the rest of this article on the UN News website.