The USA Pavilion Holds Grand Opening Ceremony at Expo Milano 2015

MILAN, May 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015 hosted the grand opening of the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 today.  Welcoming the first of the world fair's anticipated 20 million visitors, the USA Pavilion opened its large hangar doors with an official ribbon cutting ceremony and remarks from United States Ambassador to Italy John R. Phillips.

A central component of the ceremony featured the U.S. Student Ambassadors; representing 94 American universities and serving as docents of the USA Pavilion, the students greeted visitors upon their arrival and guided them on a journey through state-of-the-art spaces.  Seeing the pavilion's 7,200 square-foot vertical farm, American Food 2.0 exhibits and SmartGlass roof, visitors were introduced to the innovation, science and technology at work in the United States to develop solutions for global food security and sustainability.   

Also opening its doors today to Expo goers was the USA's Food Truck Nation, located just a few paces away from the pavilion. This one-of-a-kind, edible exhibit features a series of food trucks offering regional American street food such as vegetarian hamburgers and lobster rolls. Those interested in getting a more gourmet taste of American Food 2.0 can reserve a seat at the James Beard American Restaurant at Seven Stars Galleria, located in the heart of Milan inside the historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Serving as the centerpiece of the USA Pavilion's culinary programming, the highly-anticipated restaurant features a rotating roster of renowned American and Italian guest chefs offering deluxe five-course meals. For reservations and the complete calendar of chefs, visit www.usapavilion2015.net/schedule. 

The USA Pavilion's grand opening ceremony also included a performance by the United States Marine Corps Color Guard, followed by the United States national anthem and remarks from several U.S. dignitaries, including U.S. Consul General to Milan Philip Reeker and Ambassador Douglas Hickey, Commissioner General of the USA Pavilion at EXPO 2015.  The evening continued with a private reception on the pavilion's rooftop terrace, where sponsors, partners, U.S. government officials, and other special guests gathered for a special celebration toast.

"Over the next six months, our pavilion, 'American Food 2.0 – United to Feed the Planet,' will celebrate America's contribution to global food security and will serve as a platform to address global issues, all the while introducing Expo's visitors to the rich diversity of American cuisine. We do hope that many American visitors will travel to Milan to see the USA Pavilion and the Food Truck Nation and be proud of it," United States Ambassador to Italy John R. Phillips said.

‎"As United States Consul General in Milan, I am particularly proud to be here today at the opening of this global conversation. Milan is the place to be this year, and now you can see why. 2015 is also the year that the U.S. Consulate General in Milan celebrates its 150th anniversary. The Expo certainly makes a great birthday party, and this USA Pavilion is a birthday present we're proud to share with you all!" U.S. Consul General to Milan, Ambassador Reeker said.

Ambassador Douglas Hickey, Commissioner General of the USA Pavilion, stated: "We are pleased to welcome visitors from across the world to the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015. Focusing on innovation and technology, our pavilion will demonstrate the United States' dedication to food security. We hope to engage visitors with our story and encourage open dialogue on the food issues impacting all of us. We especially look forward to convening with other country pavilions at Expo so we can together develop innovative solutions for feeding 9 billion nutritiously and sustainably."

About Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015
The U.S. Department of State has selected the Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015 as its private sector partner to work with the U.S. government to develop and implement an official American presence at the Expo. Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a collaboration between the James Beard Foundation (JBF) and the International Culinary Center (ICC), in association with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy, whose mission is to conceive, design, fundraise for, and produce the USA Pavilion and programs at Expo Milano 2015.

The USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 would not be possible without the generous support provided by our growing list of partners: General Electric, NUSSLI, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, CNH Industrial, PepsiCo, Microsoft, Uvet, Walgreens Boots Alliance, DHL, Brand USA, DuPont, Adler Pelzer, Boeing, Cisco, Luxxotica, Brooks Brothers, illy, Bank of America, EMC, 3M, Research Frontiers, Vidsys, Alaska Seafood, Dow, Uber, McKinsey & Company, Fleishman Hillard, U.S. Sustainability Alliance, Mapei, American Hardwood Export Council, Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Food Export USA-Northeast, NAEGA, USA Poultry & Egg Commission, USA Rice Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council, U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Soybean Export Council, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, Greenhouse Communications LLC, Copernico, Sweet Street Desserts and the Bracco Group.

Through the leadership of Commissioner General Doug Hickey and the overall direction of the U.S. Department of State, the Friends organization oversees every aspect of the project in consultation with a team of experts across the science, business, technology, agriculture, sustainability, design and other fields. The pavilion's management and program is directed by President Dorothy Hamilton (founder and CEO of ICC), Chief Executive Officer Charlie Faas, and Chief Creative Officer Mitchell Davis (EVP of JBF). Biber Architects has been selected to design the USA Pavilion, and Thinc Design is serving as USA Pavilion exhibition designer.

For additional information: www.usapavilion2015.net

Twitter: @USAPavilion2015 - https://twitter.com/USAPavilion2015
Facebook: USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 - https://www.facebook.com/usapavilion2015
Instagram: @USAPavilion2015 - https://instagram.com/usapavilion2015/

Hashtags
#1in9bn -- One in 9 Billion
#FoodTruckNation -- Food Truck Nation
#TasteUSA -- Food Truck Nation
#JBAR -- James Beard American Restaurant
#Expo2015 -- Expo-wide feed

SOURCE Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015

Related Links

http://www.usapavilion2015.net