Pan-American Expositions (Twilight of a New Era)

The Pan-American Expositions (ExpoPanAm or PanAmExpo) refers to series of regional (and sometimes international) world fairs organized in the Americas and sponsored by the Pan-American Union. They usually last from three weeks to six months.

Some of the ExpoPanAm have not being recognized by the International Exhibitions Bureau (Bureau International des Expositions, BIE).

The Pan-American Exposition Corporation (PA-Expo Corp.), established in 1925 is in charge of selecting the host city, supervising and overseeing the ExpoPanAm. All member states of the Pan-American Union have de jure a member in its General Assembly. However votes are arranged according to the annual budgetary contributions of each member country. The General Assembly elects its President, Executive Committee, an Administration and Budget Committee, and Information and Communication Office

The PA-Expo Corp. was founded as consequence of an informal meeting of Pan-American Union in Mexico that seek ways to improve friendship and knowledge of fellow members. The model was taken of the previous Expositions in the Western Hemisphere.

The influence of the Pan-American Expositions was not small, development in several aspects of society, such as art, design, international trade and relations, tourism and fashions were some cases triggered by the Exhibitions. For example modern art and design was mutually influence by the Expositions and local development. Mexican muralism and indigenist motives and fashion in 1926, Latin American modern art in the 1927, 1929 and 1931, negrismo 1937 and 1941. In tourism it encourage a relatively cheap continental network of holiday packages and accommodations.

In someway the Pan-American Expositions became an informal congress of the Pan-American Union for all sectors. Many scientific congress scheduled their conventions in the same host cities of the Exhibitions.

Important scientific discoveries and technological improvements were in some cases firsts exhibited in the Expositions. For example electric typewriters, electrical home appliances, modern diesel trains like the Zephyr, experimental buildings made from prefabricated materials, television and diesel-electric trains and trucks.