Uruguay Pavilion Becomes the Most Visited Latin American Pavilion at Expo Osaka

The exhibition, which attracted over 28.3 million visitors in total, concluded with highly positive results for Uruguay. The country positioned itself as the most visited Latin American participant, reaching a number of visitors nearly equivalent to its total population. Expo Osaka became an exceptional platform for strengthening Uruguay’s global image as a reliable, innovative, and sustainable partner.

“It was an extraordinary opportunity to show the world the modern, creative, and sustainable Uruguay that we are,” said the pavilion’s curator, Benjamín Liberoff, at the close of activities. “We projected a strong national image, built strategic partnerships, and left a lasting impression of trust and closeness with the Japanese public and the international community.”

Country Brand Manager Larissa Perdomo emphasized that the exhibition allowed Uruguay to display its authenticity:

“In Osaka, people saw a country full of confidence, talent, and innovation. Uruguay left an impression that combined professionalism, warmth, and a solid identity,” she said.

A Pavilion with a Distinctly Uruguayan Identity

Located in the Commons C area of the Expo, the Uruguay Pavilion welcomed an average of 22,000 visitors per day. Its concept—centered on innovation, sustainability, and interactive design—combined immersive experiences with spaces dedicated to business, tourism, and cultural promotion, as well as a permanent exhibition of licensed Uruguay Country Brand products.

“The pavilion was a living experience that invited visitors to feel Uruguay,” said Perdomo. “We succeeded in turning our country brand into a sensory journey where innovation and emotion were the main protagonists.”

The multilingual audiovisual experience—including content in Japanese—and the institutional meeting space enabled thousands of visitors and companies to learn about Uruguay’s ecosystem of trade and investment opportunities. The pavilion also featured technological and interactive elements, including exhibits from the video game industry, developed in collaboration with the Uruguayan Chamber of Video Game Developers (CAVI) and Uruguay XXI, as well as educational games created by Plan Ceibal, showcasing Uruguay’s creativity in education and digital entertainment.

“Each visitor left with a direct and authentic image of our country—its talent, its openness to the world, and its commitment to the future,” reflected Liberoff.

A Diverse and Strategic Agenda

Throughout the six months of the exhibition, Uruguay carried out a comprehensive program of official events, cultural presentations, and promotional activities. More than 150 audiovisual screenings were held, reaching a combined audience of 60,000 people, and over 500 promotional items were distributed.

Uruguay also participated in 15 National Days organized by other countries and received high-level protocol visits, including those of H.I.H. Princess Takamado of Japan, the Prime Minister of Croatia, the President of Panama, the Captains Regent of San Marino, the President of the Parliament of Slovakia, and senior authorities from Peru, Brazil, and Chile.

At the institutional and business level, Uruguay held meetings with KEPCO, Hitachi, Kubota, Kawasaki, and Future City, among other entities, opening new opportunities for cooperation in technology, energy, and education.

Two official missions represented Uruguay at the Expo: the first, in June, led by Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries Alfredo Fratti, accompanied by a public–private delegation of more than 35 participants; and the second, in September, headed by Deputy Minister of Tourism Ana Claudia Caram and Mayor of Canelones Francisco Legnani, focusing on promoting tourism and strengthening institutional ties with Japan.

Uruguayan Culture, Innovation, and Products

The pavilion integrated content from Uruguay XXI and its sectoral brands—Uruguay Meats, Uruguay Wine, Uruguay Wools, Uruguay Audiovisual, and Uruguay Videogames—along with contributions from institutions such as INAC, INAVI, Plan Ceibal, CUTI, CAVI, INIA, UTE, and the Ministry of Tourism. The municipalities of Maldonado, Canelones, Rocha, Salto, San José, Florida, and Montevideo also took part, reinforcing the pavilion’s nationwide representation.

The project was supported by more than 30 public and private institutions, including UTEC, ACAU, INALE, AUCI, the Secretariat of Sports, Tenfield, and Aeropuertos Uruguay, which helped promote Uruguay’s advancements and strengthen its international presence.

Visitors could explore the traceability of Uruguayan meat, discover the video game industry, and appreciate natural wool designs, while enjoying tastings of wines and olive oils and viewing products from Manos del Uruguay, Don Báez, Santa Laura, La Pasionaria, Vitanna, Sinfonía Blends, Texturable, and Colectivo Escala Humana.

Art also played a central role, with works by Sofía Córdoba, Adela Casacuberta, Silvina Cortés, Julio Machín, Agustina Parry, and Florencia Flanagan, presented in collaboration with the National Institute of Visual Arts (MEC).

Emblematic Moments from Six Months of Presence

Throughout the exhibition, Uruguay maintained an active cultural calendar. In May, the pavilion dedicated a day to Human Rights, featuring audiovisual materials focused on memory and justice.

In June, Uruguay’s National Day was celebrated with an official ceremony, speeches, and a musical performance by the Quinteto Barrio Sur featuring Hugo Fattoruso, Wellington Silva, Mathías Silva, Guillermo Díaz Silva, and Albana Barrocas, together with Japanese artist Tomohiro Yahiro, symbolizing the cultural connection between the two nations.

During the ceremony, Minister Fratti highlighted the value of the Expo as a platform to reaffirm Uruguay’s commitment to international cooperation, sustainability, and responsible production, while Japanese authorities praised the country’s spirit of openness and dialogue. The celebration continued with a gastronomic promotion organized by INAC and INAVI, where Uruguayan meats and wines took center stage in a tasting that combined identity, quality, and traceability.

Products such as beef tongue—recently approved for the Japanese market—symbolized Uruguay’s sustainable agro-export model, while national wines reaffirmed their position as ambassadors of innovation and responsible production.

In July, the pavilion hosted a particularly active program: the exhibition “Threads of Nature | A Journey into Uruguayan Wool”, highlighting the innovation and sustainability of the national textile industry; the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Maracanazo with interactive displays and historical media; and a tribute to Carlos Gardel on the 90th anniversary of his death, featuring music and personal accounts of his legacy.

On August 25, Uruguay’s Independence Day, the pavilion hosted a live concert by Rubén Rada, while in September it joined the global World Tourism Day celebrations with wine and olive oil tastings and cultural performances.

Uruguay also participated in several international gastronomic and wine events, sharing the stage with European and Latin American countries and strengthening its position as a producer of high-quality wines.

Among the most notable audiovisual presentations were the documentary “Sueños del Pepé” and the animated film “Los Carpinchos” by Alfredo Soderguit, which captivated Japanese audiences—especially families—with their poetic reflections on coexistence and nature.

A Positive Outcome

Through a sustained presence and dynamic agenda, Uruguay successfully implemented a comprehensive strategy combining culture, innovation, and commercial promotion.

“We went to Osaka with one goal: to present ourselves as a relevant nation committed to quality, sustainability, and international cooperation,” concluded Country Brand Manager Larissa Perdomo. “We return with tangible results and the satisfaction of having been the most visited country in Latin America.”

Uruguay’s participation received extensive coverage in Japanese and regional media, including Kyodo News, Yomiuri Shimbun, Latin-a, Osaka Nichinichi Newspaper, NHK, The Japan Times, and Higashiosaka Shimbun, all of which highlighted the pavilion’s originality and the country’s strong institutional presence at the Expo.