Visitors can explore the UN’s 80-year history of advancing peace, human rights, sustainable development and climate action and see how the work of the UN system impacts the lives of all people across the world.
Naomi Ichikawa (left) welcomes the 10,000th visitor to the UN Pavilion in April, just five days after Expo 2025 opened.
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.
Visitors to the UN Pavilion explore the ‘orb’ room.
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.
Why is it important that the UN is here at Expo?
I would say that 90 per cent of Japanese people know about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but many do not know what they can do in their lives to contribute to the SDGs, or understand the positive role played by the UN in making the SDGs a reality in a global context. So, we felt that it was important to explain that work.
There are some 160 different countries participating in Expo and they are here to showcase their own cultures.
But it’s the UN which can encourage countries to work together to achieve peace and a sustainable world. So, collaboration and multilateralism are key themes of the pavilion.
Why is that message important?
The world is divided right now and you can sense the anxiety about that, even in Japan. That anxiety is not just focused on political issues but also on the environmental and other global challenges which go beyond the country level. At the UN Pavilion they can learn about these challenges but also the solutions.
I am so proud to be part of a team which explains how the UN is contributing to solving these global problems. It is rewarding to interact with visitors and to support their understanding of the UN.
Many are surprised by the range of work in which the organization is engaged, and everyone leaves inspired by our messages.
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.
A boy participates in an event at the UN pavilion to promote the SDGs.
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.
How important and relevant is an Expo in today’s world?
There really isn’t any other place like this, where you can meet people from Uzbekistan, and then next door people from Malta. I think this is such a rare opportunity, especially in this era of the Internet, to be able to discover the culture and values of so many different nations.
Initially, the Japanese people were somewhat sceptical and critical of the cost of putting on Expo, because they said they could find all the information on the Internet.
However, when they visit, they realize that they can actually see, feel and learn about different cultures in person. It’s very different from reading something on the Internet or watching YouTube.
This venue is so special and people come here with an open and enquiring mind.
I think the timing of this Expo is important as there is so much uncertainty and conflict in the world. At the UN, we are here to promote a better world for all people built on equality, dignity and peace, living in harmony with nature and sustaining our Planet. We hope to share this positive vision with as many visitors as possible until the closing of the Expo in mid-October.
