This year, Zaragoza, the capital city of the former kingdom of Aragon, plays host to a worthy cause. Broaching the issue of ‘Water and Sustainable Development’, it promises to be anything but boring. Instead, ecological concern becomes the spark for all things artistic. Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, who designed a stark, undulating landscape for a Singapore Art Museum exhibition in 2006, will also design the Bridge Pavilion, one of the main landmarks to be showcased at the Expo. This 260m-long bridge that resembles a blossoming gladiolus will run across the river Ebro as an entrance and exhibition space. Another must-see is the freshwater aquarium – the biggest in Europe – that will hold 5,000 specimens originating from as far as the Mekong and the Amazon. Of course, no spectacle is complete without the acrobatic antics of Cirque de Soleil, and the world-famous troupe will be putting on daily performances.

Go to www.expozaragoza2008.es for more information.