The Appointment Ceremony for advisors to the theme development of the Expo Shanghai, which was also concurrently the Seminar on the theme development for the Expo, was held on July 18 in Beijing. The ceremony was sponsored by the Organizing Committee of the 2010 Expo Shanghai. Among guests attending the ceremony were Mr. Xu Shaoshi, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, Vice Chairman of the Expo Shanghai Organizing Committee and Chief of the Liaison Office of the Expo Shanghai Organizing Committee, Mr. Wan Jifei, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Deputy Director of the Expo Shanghai Organizing Committee and Executive Director of the Expo Shanghai Executive Committee, Mr. Yang Xiong, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Member of the Expo Shanghai Organizing Committee and ExecutiveDeputy Director of the Expo Shanghai Executive Committee, and Ms. Gao Yao, Vice Chairperson of CCPIT, Member of the Expo Shanghai Organizing Committee and Deputy Chief of the Liaison Office of the Expo Shanghai Organizing Committee.

One of the important tasks in the 2006 work plan for the Organizing Committee is to further develop the theme of the Expo, and to study and formulate exhibition and design plans for the China Pavilion and the Theme Hall, which are professional and highly demanding tasks by nature. At the recommendation of relevant parties and after obtaining approval from Ms. Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the State Council and chief of the Expo Shanghai Organizing Committee, the Organizing Committee decided to hire a batch of renowned experts as consultants for the theme development of the Expo Shanghai. These consultants include experts from city planning, cultural and art communication, technology, philosophy, design and exhibition, landscaping, and environmental protection. The main job and responsibility for these experts is to provide guidance and elaborate on the World Expo's theme, to review the overall exhibition plans of the China Pavilion and the Theme Hall, and to appraise the proposed exhibits.