2025 Expo Osaka: Ukraine, Palestine Pavilions Demonstrate Resilience Amid Conflicts

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:56 JST, April 14, 2025

Most international pavilions at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo opened on Sunday, the same day as the event itself, including those by countries and regions facing war and conflict, such as Ukraine and Palestine.

Ukraine’s pavilion opened an exhibit on the value of democracy, which it is trying to protect as it faces Russia’s aggression. The pavilion’s title is “Not For Sale,” and its official website describes it as “a shop of things you can’t buy … because freedom is worth more than money.”

Objects representing people and animals are labeled with tags saying “Children’s Rights” or other phrases. When visitors scan barcodes with a special device, they can watch videos of the current wartime situation in which children are also involved.

Tetyana Berezhna, deputy minister of Ukraine’s Economy Ministry, appealed at the opening ceremony for people to be aware of the sacrifices Ukraine is making for its democracy.

The Palestine Pavilion opened its booth with some exhibits not ready. Some items that were supposed to have been shipped were being kept in Israel. National costumes and other items will be brought in from its Tokyo office. The Palestinian Expo representative said that we wanted people to know about Palestinian history and culture.