Zaragoza, 20 years after the Expo 2008 award: the day the city opened up to the world

20 years ago, Zaragoza and Aragon opened up to the world. On December 16, 2004, the 
Expo 2008 was awarded to Zaragoza and to commemorate that moment, the Expo Zaragoza 2008 Legacy Association held an event yesterday under the slogan “I was there 20 years ago” with the participation of journalists and personalities who lived through that “magical” moment for the city.

The event, held at the Aquarium, was full of symbolism and included testimonies from those who covered Zaragoza’s selection as the venue over Trieste (Italy) and Thessaloniki (Greece) to host the International Expo under the motto “Water and Sustainable Development”. The attendees relived the emotion of that day, when the Aragonese capital was projected internationally and began a transformation.

TESTIMONIES OF EMOTION

The director of this media outlet, Aragón Digital, Roberto García, recalled that “it was an avalanche of emotions, a transformative moment on a personal and professional level.” Other journalists, such as Marina Fortuño and Plácido Díez, passionately recounted the moments experienced that day. “The cry of ‘it’s over, it’s over!’ resonated not only in Paris, but in a packed and euphoric Plaza del Pilar. It was a magical day that defined the future of the city,” said the journalist.

Along these lines, Plácido Díez, a veteran journalist, also shared some memories: “I will never forget the explosion of joy in the Plaza del Pilar, broadcasting live with Gemma Nierga and my team from Paris. 
It was a real carousel of emotions and when we finally heard Zaragoza it was like a collective cry of relief, of pride. That sound, that phrase: Welcome to the future; it still gives me goosebumps .”

Journalist Marina Fortuño also recalled a technical anecdote: broadcasting from Paris “was a real logistical challenge.” “We had to juggle with cordless phones to get to the voting site. But when they announced Zaragoza as the venue, we were so excited that we could barely speak,” she said.

A LIVING LEGACY

The president of the Expo Zaragoza 2008 Legacy Association, Francisco Pellicer, stressed that the organization continues to work to preserve the legacy of the Expo, both on a material and immaterial level. “This event is not only a look at the past, but also a commitment to the future. We want Zaragoza to continue to be a reference in sustainability and innovation, as it was in 2008,” he said.

Despite the achievements, several participants mentioned some challenges that remain, such as the maintenance of infrastructure and the use of spaces and equipment. However, the general tone was one of optimism and pride. “The Expo not only transformed Zaragoza physically with key infrastructures, it also changed the mentality of a city that knew how to look at the Ebro and the world with ambition,” said another of the attendees.

With this twentieth anniversary, Zaragoza reaffirms its commitment to the values ​​that made Expo 2008 possible and looks to the future with the same enthusiasm and energy that marked that historic 16th of December 2004.