Russian Pianist Matsuev Performs In Paris In Support Of Yekaterinburg's Bid For Expo-2025

The joint concert of famous Russian pianist Denis Matsuev and the Ural Youth Symphony Orchestra was held on Monday in Paris to support the Russian city of Yekaterinburg as one of the contenders to host the World Expo 2025.

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th October, 2018) The joint concert of famous Russian pianist Denis Matsuev and the Ural Youth Symphony Orchestra was held on Monday in Paris to support the Russian city of Yekaterinburg as one of the contenders to host the World Expo 2025.

The musicians performed compositions of Mikhail Glinka, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff in the historic Theatre des Champs-Elysees.

Yekaterinburg's bid was presented at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Monday. Yekaterinburg, situated to the east of the Ural Mountains, is competing with Japan's Osaka and Azerbaijan's Baku.

The decision on what city will host the event will be taken by a secret ballot at the 164th General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on November 23, 2018. Expo-2025 is expected to be held in the period from May 2 to November 2, 2025.

Russian Ambassador to Paris Alexey Meshkov, Sverdlovsk Region's Governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev and Russia's Special Presidential Envoy for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoi attended the concert.

"Everyone should have a dream in life. And I have always dreamed of visiting the place where Europe meets Asia, because Russia is not the country that separates Europe from Asia, but the country that unites them. In a very short time, all of you will have, if not a desire, but at least an opportunity to visit this place, Yekaterinburg.

Once you get to Expo 2025, you will understand that it is not just a geographical location, it is a region with huge economic, industrial potential and huge cultural potential," Meshkov said ahead of the concert.

Shvydkoi stressed that the region had "amazing energy" and urged the audience to go visit it if the exposition did take place in Yekaterinburg.

"You probably will not get another chance to come to Yekaterinburg, if not for this wonderful Expo-2025 event ... This is a great, surprisingly passionate land," Shvydkoi said.

Shvydkoi added that Yekaterinburg was one of the most amazing places in the world.

"I understand that this is too audacious to talk about this in Paris, a great city of great Europe, but believe me, you have to go to Yekaterinburg to understand what Russia is all about. I recommend you to go there. Whether Yekaterinburg wins or not, take the trip anyway, it will be very useful," he said.

Shvydkoi also stressed that Yekaterinburg was a city of amazing culture and education, a very young, dynamically developing city with lots of new projects and ideas. The special presidential envoy added that the youth orchestra performing with Matsuev was a testament to the city's potential.