2010 Shanghai World Expo

Shanghai Expo mascot takes on green mission

Haibao - mascot for the Shanghai Expo 2010!

Shanghai is marking the 100-day countdown to the World Expo this week. The theme for the expo, which opens in May, is “Better City, Better Life”.

With the focus on the environment, it is only natural that the mascot – Haibao – for the event takes on a green theme.

Ahead of the expo’s opening in May, the mascot will be brought to life through a cartoon. It will feature the voices of Chinese celebrities like Jackie Chan and basketballer Yao Ming.

“At the end of each episode, we will provide some food for thought, like explaining what air pollution is, what environmental protection and what solar power is. So it will not only be entertaining but educational as well,” said Hong Bing, an associate professor at Shanghai Theatre Academy.

Haibao was born from the Chinese character “ren”, which means person. It was modified from the winning entry of an expo mascot contest which had attracted some 20,000 submissions.

The designer behind the final image explains why he based Haibao on the Chinese character “ren”.

Longtu Shaw, chairman of Shaw & Shaw Advertising, said: “Tens of millions of people live in the city together, but they do so alone. Everyone is busy and they don’t even know who their neighbours are, despite living next to each other for 3 or 4 years.

“This is a sickness of modernity; we may be physically close to each other, but mentally and emotionally we are distant.

“People make up the city, they are the essence of what a city is, the essence of life. Love exits if people exits. That’s why I think that’s what the expo should be focusing on.”

Haibao has certainly lived up to its name. It is extremely popular and can be seen all over Shanghai – from soft-toys to garden hedges.

Wendy, Shanghai Expo

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