ESSAY

Preparing for the Expo

By John Gathright

Spring is in the air, and the Miso Barrel Treehouse burns with "Expo fever." From March 25 to Sept. 25, the World Expo 2005 Aichi will be only a hop, skip and a jump from our home. I am the producer of the Growing Village Pavilion at the Expo and I have never been busier in my whole life. Days fly past as Opening Day rushes toward us.

At our pavilion, we will be celebrating nature's wisdom and the wonders of growth. Trees are our teachers, doctors and friends, and we have gathered together some of the most interesting and unique trees on the Earth. Chairs are alive, mirrors have leaves, coat hangers are harvested, and trees grow into people. Our trees are not only for display. We have two special trees for climbing and therapy. People of all abilities and ages can use special ropes and harnesses to climb to the top and look at life and the forest from a different perspective.

The Growing Village is going to be wonderful but right now we are up to our elbows preparing for it. Growing furniture is arriving at customs for us to collect. Artists are calling us at all hours of the day

"Growing artists" are on site, planting tree sculptures. We have to prepare multimedia presentations and the pavilion interior. It's exciting and fun, yet humbling, and, yes, there are some disappointments.

For example, we had a slight disappointment a few days ago. A 70-year-old man from Israel had donated a wonderful tree to the pavilion. Aharon had grown it specially in the desert to symbolize peace. For 30 years, he shaped and nurtured it, helping it to grow into the shape of the Earth, with two arm-like branches joined above it to show peace between men

In order to ship it to the Expo, he spent a whole year washing the roots and replacing the soil with non-organic materials. He made a special container in which the tree could be moved. It was over 5 meters tall and 3 meters wide and we were going to call it our "Legacy Tree."

Unfortunately, when the inspectors in Japan checked the tree, they found small worms in the roots. All the roots were then cut off, and the tree arrived dying at our doorstep. I was crushed, but I also know the dangers of introducing a non-native species of bug to Japan and I appreciate what the inspectors had to do. The experience brought home the realization that a substantial part of the growing process involves making mistakes and learning from them

As we near Opening Day, I feel I am growing too, and I am enjoying the process. I personally invite everyone to visit the Expo and our Growing Village Pavilion. It is my hope and dream that our pavilion will plant the seeds of peace, friendship, love, kindness and an appreciation of nature and the world we live in.

For a quick glimpse at the Growing Village Pavilion, check out www.growingvillage.com

Shukan ST: March 11, 2005

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