Russia needs a single coordination body to implement its exhibition program and promote the country’s positive image abroad, said members of the Russian Expo club that held a meeting at the Shanghai Expo on Wednesday.

The 2010 World Expo is being held in Shanghai from May 1 to October 31, 2010. Over 200 countries, corporations and international organizations are taking part in the Expo. More than 48 million people have visited the event since its opening.

Opening the meeting, the chairman of the Expo club’s supervising council, Moscow Expo Center general director Vladislav Malkevich, said RussiaRussia’s exhibition activity, as tenders are often won by nonprofessional companies. has been downsizing the scale of its participation in international expositions. He also said there are difficulties in organizing

Experts say the situation can be changed through a revision of the current system of Russia’s participation in international exhibitions.

Restec exhibition company president Sergei Trofimov said Russia’s exhibition and fair activity concept, adopted by Russia in 2001, should be “filled with specific content” today.

“We are ready to be an effective tool, [to have] interaction at all levels, [including] executive power, public organizations, exponents and exhibition organizers, within one system, which is required to effectively develop the economy,” he said.

Expo Center chief expert Vyacheslav Melnik said Expo-type exhibitions should become “image projects of the Russian state.”

Russia built an Expo pavilion this year for the first time in 30 years. The sun-shaped building comprises 12 white-and-gold towers symbolizing the 12 months of the year, and takes up an area of 6,000 square meters.

SHANGHAI, September 8 (RIA Novosti)