Special Collections hosts
World’s Fair symposium

Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris, was the featured speaker at the World’s Fair Symposium held March 30 to April 1 in San Francisco.

The symposium, sponsored by the Special Collections Library (home of the Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs, 1851 to 1940) brought together world’s fair scholars and graduate students in various disciplines from throughout the world to discuss and share their ideas.

The BIE is an international diplomatic organization of member nations. Its role is to regulate the frequency and quality of international expositions held in member states. The current international exposition is under way in Aichi, Japan, and continues to Sept. 25, 2005.

Loscertales traveled directly from Japan, where he presided over the opening ceremonies, to San Francisco, to participate in the World’s Fair Symposium. 

Professor Robert W. Rydell, one of the leading authorities in the field, opened the symposium with a discussion on “New Directions in World’s Fair Scholarship.” The two-and-a-half-day event included nine sessions covering the breadth and diversity of world’s fair research.

For detailed information about the symposium visit www.lib.csufresno.edu/extra/wfs2005/.

For more information about the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi, Japan, visit  www-1.expo2005.or.jp/en/index.html.