Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended an official reception hosted by the kingdom in Paris on Monday as part of Riyadh's bid to host the World Expo 2030.
Prince Mohammed was seen greeting various guests at the reception, in footage shared by Saudi media outlets.
The ceremony revealed Saudi Arabia's plans to host the Expo ahead of a general assembly vote in November to pick a host county for the event.
The official reception hosted the representatives of 179 member states of the Bureau International des Expositions – the organisation responsible for the World Expo – on the eve of its 172nd General Assembly meeting on Tuesday.
The reception was attended by a high-ranking Saudi delegation, including ministers and senior officials from Saudi Arabia and France, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to France and members of international organisations such as Unesco.
The reception was hosted by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, with an exhibition held to project the historical and cultural depth of the kingdom while highlighting the capital's political and economic standing, its “distinctive geographical location and outstanding infrastructure”, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
The exhibition showcased the kingdom's potential, as well as its capabilities once projects currently being built are completed, before 2030.
Guests were taken on a virtual journey through “Riyadh in 2030", starting at King Salman International Airport, and were shown landmarks and major projects in the city, including the Riyadh Sports Boulevard, King Salman Park, Diriyah Gate and Qiddiya.
Italy, South Korea and Ukraine have also applied to host the World Expo.
The ceremony is an important part of the nomination procedure for countries seeking to host the expo.
The Saudi Crown Prince's official visit to France began last Wednesday where he met several leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron.
Different issues were discussed during the trip, including the war in Ukraine and “the institutional political vacuum in Lebanon”.
Prince Mohammed and Mr Macron repeated “their shared commitment to security and stability in the Near and Middle East and expressed their desire to pursue their joint efforts to bring about a lasting easing of tensions”.
Also on Monday, the Saudi Ministry of Investment, hosted a senior delegation in France, led by the kingdom's Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih, as part of the French-Saudi Investment Forum.
One hundred business leaders from both countries attended, SPA reported.
The investment forum on Monday included panel discussions covering opportunities in the kingdom and the potential for collaboration between Saudi Arabia and France in tourism and culture.
Other discussions included joint Saudi-French work on France’s technology ecosystem and global efforts towards a clean energy transition.
Earlier in March, Bureau International des Expositions secretary general Dimitri Kerkentzes said Saudi Arabia had presented a strong case to host World Expo 2030, as the delegation concluded its evaluation visit to Riyadh.
“I wanted to let you know that we have seen a strong project from the very top,” Mr Kerkentzes said at the end of the visit.
“[Starting with] His Royal Highness, all the way down to government, every minister and every member of Saudi Arabia that we have met and have spoken to, all have an incredible support for this project.”
