In the interview of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Exhibitions Joint Stock Company with Borna News Agency, it was stated:

Mohammad-Mehdi Tandgooyan, in an interview with Borna News Agency regarding Iran’s participation in the 2027 Belgrade Expo and the significance of this global event, explained:

“As you are aware, we missed the Japan Expo—an outcome of certain shortcomings during the previous administration that prevented our participation in Expo 2025 Osaka. The first opportunity following that is Expo 2027, which is categorized as a ‘Specialised Expo.’ Major World Expos typically occur every five years and last six months, whereas Specialised Expos are held every three years between the major ones and run for three months. These events are smaller in scale compared to the larger World Expos.”

**“Play for Humanity” – Theme of Expo 2027**

Regarding Iran’s history of participation in such events, Tandgooyan noted:  
“Since the Islamic Revolution, I believe we’ve participated in only two Specialised Expos. This is largely because the themes of these expos are highly specialized, and in some cases, we may not have had relevant contributions—for instance, if the theme were ‘drip irrigation.’”

Tandgooyan, who has been active in the expo field for over two decades, added:  
“I’ve been involved in expos for about 20 years, since Expo 2005 in Japan. This is the first time I’ve seen a Specialised Expo with a theme that is entirely abstract, social, and somewhat cultural. The theme of Expo 2027 is ‘Play for Humanity,’ explored through the lenses of music and sport. Importantly, this does not mean it’s a music or sports expo—the core focus is on ‘play’ itself.”

**Humanity Has Lost Touch with Its Childhood**

Explaining the concept of “play” in this context, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Exhibitions Joint Stock Company said:  
“The English word ‘play’ differs from its common Persian equivalent ‘game.’ Here, ‘play’ doesn’t merely refer to games in the conventional sense. The organizers aim to remind the world that humanity has drifted away from its childhood. This distance in modern life has led to psychological and mental harm, as well as diminished creativity and developmental awareness in human society.”

Referring to the philosophy behind choosing this theme for the Belgrade Expo, Tandgooyan stated:  
“If you visit the official Belgrade Expo website, you’ll clearly see why this theme was selected and what message it intends to convey globally. The goal is to reconnect humanity with that joyful, creative, and dynamic phase of life—when many inventions and discoveries emerged from childhood play and imagination. Indeed, play has historically been the cradle of creativity and discovery. For example, children’s imaginative games about ‘how to fly’ laid the groundwork for actual aviation innovations.”

**Expo 2027 Belgrade: Rekindling Humanity’s Intrinsic Creativity**

He continued:  
“Play is not just entertainment; it’s a form of mental exercise for creativity and problem-solving. When play disappears from life, many skills and creative capacities vanish from human society. In the past, local and traditional group games sparked ideas, strengthened social bonds, and fostered diverse perspectives within communities. Today, humanity has distanced itself from these elements, and this Expo aims to restore that spirit and creativity to human life.”

According to Tandgooyan, Expo 2027 Belgrade is an effort to reestablish the connection between humans and their innate creativity through the concept of “Play for Humanity.”

Regarding Iran’s participation process, he added:  
“President Pezeshkian officially expressed the Islamic Republic of Iran’s readiness to participate in this Expo. About two or three months ago, Mr. Arif appointed Mr. Bigzadeh, Managing Director of the International Exhibitions Company, as Iran’s official representative for the Belgrade site.”

**600 Square Meters to Showcase Iranian Ideas and Content**

The Chairman of the Board continued:  
“The first Expo meeting took place in Khordad (June) in Serbia, which I attended alongside the company’s Managing Director and Iran’s Commissioner General. Currently, responsibility for the executive committee and all Expo-related affairs has been assigned to me within the International Exhibitions Company.”

Regarding the technical specifications of Iran’s pavilion, Tandgooyan said:  
“Iran has been allocated a 320-square-meter space in the Belgrade Expo, with a height of approximately 10 meters, allowing for a two-story design. This means we can utilize roughly 600 square meters in total to implement our ideas and present our content.”

**“Let’s Play Together” – Iran’s Pavilion Theme**

On Iran’s chosen sub-theme, he explained:  
“Among the three sub-themes defined by the Expo—‘Play and Power,’ ‘Play in Development and Progress,’ and ‘Let’s Play Together’—we selected ‘Let’s Play Together’ due to its social and cultural orientation.”

Tandgooyan elaborated on the link between play, music, and sport:  
“Music and sport are included alongside ‘play’ because many traditional games worldwide are accompanied by local or ceremonial music. For instance, our traditional game of Chovgan (polo) has long been associated with specific rituals and Iranian instruments like the kamancheh. Chovgan is one key element we will definitely highlight at the Expo. Similar models of such games exist throughout Iran.”

He added:  
“Moreover, some physical games are inherently intertwined with sport. Thus, in Iran’s pavilion, we can both showcase traditional games and present ideas suitable for various age groups. We even have games played together by grandchildren and grandparents—games that foster joy, friendship, and intergenerational connection, bridging generational gaps and reinforcing peace and solidarity within families and society.”

**Inviting Iranian Architects and Designers to Design the Pavilion**

On the project’s implementation process, Tandgooyan said:  
“We hope to deliver outstanding work. Our goal is to finalize all execution plans. Iran’s initial proposal for Expo participation has already been submitted and, fortunately, officially approved by the Belgrade Expo Bureau. According to the schedule, a design competition for the pavilion will soon be announced, inviting Iranian architects and designers to submit concepts aligned with the Expo’s theme and provided guidelines.”

He added:  
“The competition committee will be fully national and official. We anticipate finalizing the pavilion design by Bahman (February). After that, we’ll move into the execution phase to select contractors and builders. God willing, construction of the pavilion will begin next year to ensure readiness for 2027.”

Tandgooyan noted:  
“The Belgrade Expo will run for three months, with an expected attendance of around four million visitors. So far, 120 countries have confirmed participation: 45 in spaces similar in size to Iran’s, 75 in smaller areas, and others in larger pavilions with enhanced facilities.”

**Engaging Iran’s Intellectual and Civil Society in the Belgrade Expo**

The Chairman of the Board further outlined Iran’s supplementary plans for Expo 2027:  
“Recently, a positive development occurred at the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon)—one we weren’t previously aware of but which greatly benefits us. A few weeks ago, Kanoon launched a national toy design competition, details of which are available on their website. God willing, we intend to sign a memorandum of understanding with them, as their activities align perfectly with this year’s Expo theme.”

He emphasized:  
“We’ve also sought input from academic and civil elites. For example, I recently met with students at Allameh Helli School to explain the concept and gather proposals from middle and high school students. Universities have also been engaged so that, over the roughly 100-day design period, we can draw on diverse ideas from various segments of society. We’ll also collaborate with artists and musicians to host programs like ‘Nights of Iranian Instruments’ during the Expo’s three-month run, showcasing Iranian toys, games, and musical heritage.”

**Introducing Iran’s “Pahlevani” Culture to the World**

In another part of his remarks, Tandgooyan stated:  
“In the proposal I submitted, I particularly emphasized the Iranian cultural value of ‘pahlevani’ (chivalry) over mere medal-winning. In Iran, we honor Jahan Pahlavan Takhti not just for his athletic achievements but because, in our culture, chivalry surpasses the mere pursuit of medals. If we can successfully present this model of ethical, generous, and people-oriented sport to the world, we’ll demonstrate that Iranian athletics are rooted in morality and humanity.”

He added:  
“We even have federations dedicated to this ethos—from traditional wrestling (koshti pahlavani) to zurkhaneh (house of strength) sports—all of which embody the spirit of ‘Let’s Play Together.’ These sports engage all age groups, require minimal cost and equipment, and align with the mission of Iran’s Federation of Public Sports, which aims to make physical activity accessible to everyone.”

Tandgooyan continued:  
“Alongside these, we’ll leverage registered traditional games like Chovgan. Leisure time is also a priority for us. During my tenure at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Iran’s Comprehensive Leisure Time Document was approved and circulated among ministries. Preliminary steps had already been taken under Mr. Arif’s previous administration. Now, we aim to incorporate these frameworks and achievements into our Expo presentation.”

Regarding implementation models, he noted:  
“In many provinces and cities, collaborations with municipalities have created spaces like ‘Fitness Trails’ and ‘Health Paths.’ We intend to draw on these experiences to represent Iranian leisure culture at the Expo—partly through digital and media formats, and partly through physical exhibits within Iran’s pavilion.”

Tandgooyan clarified:  
“It’s possible that Iran’s pavilion design itself will become a playground—where visitors enter by engaging in a specific game, experience Iranian games, music, and traditional sports, and become acquainted with the concept of Iranian chivalry. As they exit, a vivid image of Iran’s cultural identity will take shape in their minds.”

He concluded:  
“I hope we can realize all the programs I’ve outlined and avoid international complications. If conditions proceed as planned and no obstacles arise, I’m confident we can present one of the most creative and compelling pavilions at Expo 2027.”

**Workshop for Gifted Students**

It should be noted that, to familiarize youth with the theme and content framework of Expo 2027 Belgrade (Serbia), the first educational workshop introducing this global event was held with gifted students from Tehran’s National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents (NODET/SAMPAD) schools.

This workshop took place on Friday, 25 Shahrivar 1404 (September 16, 2025), coinciding with the opening of the Elcomp Exhibition at Tehran International Permanent Fairground.

Organized by the “Executive Committee for Iran’s Participation in Expo 2027 Belgrade,” and in collaboration with NODET school administrators, the workshop initiated a call for top ideas from the country’s young talents. The aim is to enrich the content of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s pavilion at Expo 2027 Belgrade by harnessing the creative proposals of gifted students.