The New York Times on Thursday
dedicated a long article to Expo Milan 2015 ahead of the
official opening on May 1 under the banner 'Feeding the planet,
energy for life'.
In it the paper pointed out how the host city "has
identified Leonardo da Vinci - who lived at the court of
Ludovico Sforza, duke of Milan, for roughly 16 years - as its
'hero', aiming to ignite the same kind of creative energy" that
fuelled the Renaissance artist and architect's genius.
The report touches on the controversy over the presence of
McDonald's as an official sponsor, among other things.
The late-February announcement of the inclusion of the
American fast-food giant enraged the international Italy-based
Slow Food movement, an exhibitor at the World's Fair.
Slow Food promotes small-scale producers and traditional
foods made from quality locally sources ingredients.
The report also mentions the corruption scandals that have
dogged preparations for Expo, leading to the appointment of the
head of Italy's anti-corruption authority Raffaele Cantone to
monitor contracts for structures and services.
"The decision appears to have borne fruit," the article
reads.
"Closer scrutiny of Expo contracts helped speed up
construction at the site and 'avoided potential irregularities,'
Mr Cantone said."
However the report also highlights the potential benefits
of the Universal Exposition, which is expected to draw 20
million visitors over its six months.
"Officials are counting on the fair to generate about 10
billion euros for the city, half of which will come from foreign
businesses. It is also expected to create roughly 19,000 jobs on
the site and four times as many jobs outside the exhibition
area," the paper says.
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