The aim of Theme Forums is to give voice to people of outstanding talent in different areas of expertise from home and abroad, who will be encouraged to participate in in-depth discussions about the sustainable development of cities worldwide. The fruits of these talks are expected to be a range of feasible solutions that can be tested and applied to all kinds of urban development problems.

In order to extend the influence and reach of the Expo, Theme Forums will be held in Nanjing, Suzhou and Wuxi in Jiangsu Province and Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province.

After the forum meetings, some participants will be invited to tour the Expo Site in Shanghai and partake in events. Theme Forums will be co-hosted by respective International Organizations, relevant State Ministries and Commissions, the Executive Committee of Expo and municipal governments of host cities.

Delegates such as Commissioners General of Section, officials of relevant government departments, officials of international organizations as well as representatives from academia, business and political circles will be invited. Each forum is expected to involve 500 to 800 people.

Theme Forum1: ICT and Urban Development
Although the United Nations Millennium Declaration has been effective for almost ten years, the digital divide between the rich and poor countries is still expanding. How do we apply the existing information technology to society so as to improve the real standard of urban life? How do we make more people from different regions and countries share the well-being brought by the progress of information technology? These are all the new challenges we are facing today in the era of digitalization, which are all the focal issues this forum will emphasize. >>>more

Theme Forum 2: Cultural Heritage and Urban Regeneration
Cultural integration and extension are derived from urban regeneration. While the urban hardware is drastically enhanced, issues such as how to preserve heritage and advance the innovation of traditional culture should be taken seriously by most countries, especially developing ones. While the proposition presented by this forum is consistent with UNESCO’s advocacy of cultural diversity, it also explores and reflects on the current wave of large-scale urbanization, which stands in line with international practice that is feasible.>>>more

Theme Forum 3: Science &Technology Innovation and Urban Future
Science and technology are primary productive forces. Since the industrial revolution, the significant advancements made by human society have always been linked with the development of science and technology. At present, most developing countries are in the phase of rapid urbanization, during which they are facing pressures not only from deteriorated environments and scarce natural resources, but also from the rising concerns on the issues of urban development patterns as well as the search for new developing paths. Extensive development from depending on resources and low value-added exports has become more and more unsustainable, leading to the economic development bottleneck. Therefore, the vast numbers of developing countries, including China, must rely on scientific and technological innovation and technological progress to promote economic growth and upgrade the city's comprehensive competitiveness, thus improving the dominant and subordinate position of the developing countries in the international system, and enhancing the balanced development of the whole international society.>>>more

Theme Forum 4: Towards a Low-Carbon City: Environmental Protection and Urban Responsibilities
This forum covers a wide range of issues involving urban environmental systems as well as the utilization, protection and governance of the environment. These issues are to be discussed by the government, enterprises and urbanites from three different levels of responsibility, focusing on serious global and regional environmental problems involving climate change, desertification, water pollution, etc. The forum will deliver its own explanation to the three questions implied by World Expo based on the environmental perspective: That a more harmonious environment would make a better city; that a city actively coping with risks brought by various environmental changes would become better; that a resource-saving and environment-friendly urban development pattern would make our native earth better.>>>more

Theme Forum 5: Economic Transformations and Urban-Rural Relations
Economic Transformations are a vital proposition in the world economic theory and practice today. It is also a common issue that most countries are facing. While some traditional well-developed industrial countries are confronted with the challenge of upgrading the industrial structure, more developing countries are confronted with double pressure from both the economic and the industrial structure conversion, in which the key question is how to realize the transformation from a traditional agricultural society to a modern industrial one. As the country with the largest population, especially in terms of agricultural population, China’s experiences and lessons accumulated from the process of urban and rural development are of referential and research value for developing countries. Meanwhile, under the background of the global financial and world food crisis, the discussion on the economic transformation is more urgent. >>>more

Theme Forum 6: Harmonious City and Livable Life
As the first Expo in 150-plus years to set ‘cities’ as the theme, the planning of the Shanghai Expo site, based on the philosophical thinking of ‘harmonious cities,’ sticks to the 3 themes, namely ‘People and Nature,’ ‘People and Society,’ and ‘History and Future.’ As a harbinger of harmonious cities in the future, the Expo epitomizes our unflagging endeavor on the people-oriented principle and creating livable cities. How to make the cities more livable is a question faced by city planners and managers. This forum aims to call on the globe to make communications of ideas, information and best practices so as to clarify urban orientations and future development trends.>>>more