Antigua and Barbuda at EXPO

Antigua and Barbuda was one of the nations featured in the closing ceremony of Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China, this Sunday.

National Coordinator Rachel Collis joined some of her colleagues in a song tribute to start the show, which was much more lavish and entertaining than the Opening Ceremony on April 30.

The Antigua and Barbuda booth improved on already good attendance in the latter stages with the addition of new interactive exhibits for the busy period, including the arrival of a shipment of Barbuda Pink Sand. Visitors stood in long lines to feel the texture and photograph the sand, and they were given small packets of sand as a souvenir

A Carnival costume designed by Chandy Lewis, was also featured in the interactive exhibitions. Visitors were invited to wear the costume and take photographs, and a newly-arrived steelpan also generated lots of interest, with old and young trying their hand at this phenomenon.

A sugar mill exhibit will be donated to the proposed China Expo Museum, but a replica will be built to be returned to Antigua as a memento of our participation. The Expo organizers will donate a standing replica of the Expo mascot, Haibao, to accompany the sugar mill. These will be set up in a designated place in Antigua.