Performance at the ceremony

Turkey celebrated its National Pavilion Day with a fashion show and dance performances on June 20.

The Turkey Pavilion displays the profound history and civilization of its old land, the country's tourism and the urban planning of Istanbul, Ertugrul Gunay, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister, said at the ceremony in the Expo Center yesterday morning.

Li Hongfeng, vice minister of Chinese Ministry of Culture, said the Turkey Pavilion draped in red is one of the most beautiful pavilions of the Expo, which is like a box unfolding a dream maze at the bank of the Huangpu River.

The red and beige structure is in Zone C opposite the Germany Pavilion.

The exterior of the 2,000-square-meter pavilion drew its main inspiration from one of the first known settlements in the world called "Catalhoyuk" in Turkish, which were the center of advanced culture in the Neolithic period.

Themed "The Cradle of Civilization," the pavilion is divided into three sections that represent the past, present and future of an amazing journey.

The first section shows the visitors Turkey's historic firsts, featuring a map indicating the ancient sites, the world's first mirror and the world's first man-built dam.

The middle section is a 360-degree movie screen that displays scenes from the streets of Istanbul to reflect the pride of the city as the "European Capital of Culture."

The future in the final section is represented by the symbolic figure of the phoenix.