The World Expo – Shanghai closes its doors this month after seeing record crowds and positive reviews. From an African perspective what lies behind after the crowds have gone?

For most Chinese people, Africa remains a mystery – poor and conflict ridden, inundated with wildlife and strange customs. This is no doubt reinforced by stereotypical advertising, newscasts that are often biased to abstraction and movies, which show Africa in the wild imaginings of ignorant directors.

How much did the African Pavilion at the Expo help either dispel or strengthen these perceptions? One of the most common misunderstandings of Africa among Chinese people is that Africa is one place or one big country. Certainly, on the surface, the idea of an African pavilion would appear to reinforce this perception. Inside the African pavilion it would take a discerning eye to pick out that there are in fact many countries falling under the Africa "brand." Admittedly many of the individual country stands looked surprisingly similar, with wildlife, drums, thatch and bold colors being the order of the day.  One innovative way that organizers did try to enlighten visitors was through the system of country stamps in a World Expo "Passport." This, along with the need for visitors to point out each African country on a giant map was a big help in educating the millions who passed through the doors.

This seemingly small initiative has big consequences, as most of those who clamored for the "passports" were young people. They will have a better knowledge of who makes up Africa as they grow up so hopefully the next generation of Chinese will be better informed.

Also a point of note was the seeming absence of the long-standing links that China has with Africa. This would have helped visitors understand the relationship better. Many Chinese do not know the deep connection China has with Africa and the Expo was a prime time to again educate and inform. It would have been most beneficial for each individual pavilion to have a small display about the mutual friendship with China. Major political points like China's support of African countries at the time of independence from colonial rule, to the big infrastructure projects like the epic Tanzam railway line that opened up trade and connected landlocked Africa to coastal regions remain largely unknown in China. These and other major historical events like China's legendary mariner Zheng He sailing to the East African coast in the 15th century need to be shared with ordinary Chinese. In addition there are vast communities of Chinese who have made Africa their home. Perhaps short videos summarizing the daily lives of these adventurous folk living far from their motherland across the African continent would have been a great way to make Africa more familiar to visitors.

A last point of observation is the fact that in trying to present a new more modern face and dispell stereotypes, the preponderance of wildlife and thatch theme did seem to be overdone. Yes it is openly acknowledged that Africa is home to the world's most important and exotic wildlife species, but for so many of the pavilions to feature the same animals displayed a certain lack of imagination. Lions, giraffes and elephants tend to lose their attractiveness if viewed repeatedly in so many country's stands. In addition the crafts on display at the various craft sales stands dotted around the main pavilion also had a similarity, leaving the visitor wondering if in fact Africa was just one country producing the same arts and crafts. Sure it is appreciated that the exotica is what attracts tourists in their droves. Who doesn't want to go on safari and see the big five animals in the wild, when they have been brought up on the limited offerings of zoos? Yet in upgrading its image as a place to invest and compete with the rest of the world Africa needed to also show its more modern side. Chinese visitors should be seeing that there is also a thriving hi-tech, cutting edge, progressive infrastructure in new vibrant Africa that can take its place alongside other global leaders in many fields.

But after the doors are closed and the Expo becomes a memory, more positive than negative aspects remain from the African pavilion. The many countries on display did each make an impression on the millions of visitors and got people talking about Africa. Dialogue is the beginning of knowledge. Now, when the names like Mocambique and Mauritania are heard among Chinese, a legion of "passport" stamp collectors will know that they are both individual countries on the African continent. And that in itself is progress.

The Editor