-Focus on region – from automotive to food and wine sectors-

  OSAKA, Sept. 24, 2025/ANSA=Kyodo JBN/ --

The week dedicated to the Emilia-Romagna Region has been inaugurated at the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka under the slogan ‘Emilia-Romagna, the future is here’.

Visitors were welcomed with the unveiling of a Ferrari 296 GTS spider and the Ducati Panigale Tricolore bike.

They were also greeted by the Casadei Orchestra and a video dedicated to late Italian star tenor Luciano Pavarotti, the symbolic face of the connection between music, territory and universality.

Highlights of the presentation included the region’s food and wine, with the opening of a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Emilia-Romagna Governor Michele De Pascale praised as a “happy idea” the Italian government’s initiative to dedicate part of the Italy Pavilion to regions.

“We thought that the automotive” industry and “our supercars, our two-wheelers could be a symbol of Italian know-how”, added the governor.

De Pascale then stated that “the Japanese market is already an extraordinary market today for Italian four and two wheelers, it is a tool at the service of extraordinary manufacturing – Italy’s – which is currently seeing problems in the American market and sees a European market in slight difficulty and therefore realizes the need to open new roads”.

Emilia-Romagna’s delegation included, among others, Deputy Governor and Economic Development Councillor Vincenzo Colla and the President of the legislative assembly Maurizio Fabbri.

“We must never forget that our objective within this platform in the heart of Asia is to help better promote and broaden knowledge about Italy, and also deepen it”, stated the Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, Mario Vattani.

At the heart of the region’s presence are six exhibition niches, which have been conceived as ‘digital windows’ into Emilia-Romagna’s savoir-faire.

They showcase products with DOP (protected designation of origin) and IGP (protected geographical indication) quality certifications, as well as key elements of the Mediterranean diet as a model of sustainable development.

Other highlights include traditional Ravenna ceramics, mosaics and musical instruments with a journey embracing local violin-making, opera houses and international festivals.

Fashion also takes centre stage, along with biomedical research, advanced mechanics, with the excellence of the Motor Valley and Packaging Valley, and an eye on artificial intelligence and sustainability.

At the centre of the exhibition space dedicated to the Region, a large video wall shows images of Emilia-Romagna’s excellence in front of which a Ferrari car and a Ducati bike are on display.

Overall, the Region has presented a rich calendar of events starting with 'Emilia-Romagna: a Journey through Film Heritage', curated by the film library of Bologna, and the focus on 'Mediterranean diet as a model of development’ with the region’s leading agri-food cooperatives.

Bilateral meetings have also been scheduled during the week between the prefectures of Osaka and Ibaraki, followed by the forum ‘Traces of future’ dedicated to manufacturing, AI and sustainability.

Also on the agenda are the scientific collaboration on precision medicine between the University of Bologna and Tsukuba University, the presentation of the campus in Bologna of the United Nations University on AI, and a seminar on green energy.

Other key events will focus on healthcare innovation with the format TEDx 'Health Futures', opportunities offered by the Japanese market for the region’s businesses and the role of international fairs such as Cibus and Cibus Tech.

Space will be dedicated to cultural dialogue between manga and Italian comic strips with manga artist Keiko Ichiguchi and designer Andrea Accardi, and a debate on the Third Sector as a promoter of social cohesion.

Four seminars have also been organized by the confederation representing freelancers and self-employed professionals Confprofessioni Emilia-Romagna on sustainability, animal health, culture and business.

The week will close with the event ‘Japan talks about Italy’.

In addition, the Region’s program is completed by a rich calendar of performances starring the Casadei Orchestra and contemporary dance company Aterballetto with the ballet ‘Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda’ (The battle between Tancred and Clorinda).

Finally, the Toscanini Academy’s concert 'Mosaico sonoro, eco di storia e tradizioni' (Sound mosaic, echo of history and traditions) will celebrate local geniuses and tradition – an homage to composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), film director Federico Fellini (1920-1993) and the folk music of Romagna.

Source: General Commissioner’s Office of Italy for Expo 2025 Osaka