'You will see we are not a boring people'

SHANGHAI - The explosion of African color and culture surrounding next month's FIFA World Cup will make for a more entertaining event than the one seen in Germany four years ago, South African officials said at the opening of their Expo pavilion on Thursday.

Zakumi, the mascot of the FIFA World Cup games, to be held in South Africa next month, stands in the South Africa Pavilion, which opened on Thursday in Shanghai. provided to China Daily

"You will see we are not a boring people," said Maite Nkoane-Mashabane, the country's minister of international relations and cooperation, standing near a golden lion made of beads that guards the structure's entrance.

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"In Germany, they only had bratwurst sausage and beer. In South Africa you can have more than that. The variety of our cuisine is unparalleled.

"Even Germans know, when you are bored, come to South Africa."

While the 2006 World Cup was ruthlessly well organized and well policed, festivities off the field were less dazzling, many said.

Then again, neither of those countries have Zulu warriors, 11 official languages, or the kind of flora and fauna you usually have to head to a zoo to see.

If the hype is to be believed, the world only has 33 days to wait before this year's long drought ends and a globally-broadcast, month-long party erupts, combining sports drama and euphoric celebrations through the night.

The minister switched on the pavilion's 888-hour clock that will count down to the World Cup, which will run from June 11 to July 11.

She said that giving international events like the World Expo, the Olympic Games and the soccer World Cup to developing countries helps to break down cultural barriers.

"Now is the time to use the 2010 World Cup to bury African pessimism, (to create a world where) Africans are no longer discriminated against because of the color of their skin," said the minister.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela's release from Robben Island Prison. A huge drawing of a smiling Mandela decorates one side of the building's exterior, while a slogan bearing one of his catchphrases dominates another.

Many Chinese milled around inside the Joint African Pavilion, with its market bazaar and 42 countries on display. They seemed to be more interested in human interaction, many of them waiting to touch Africans and be photographed with them.

One Shanghai travel agent told China Daily that last summer Cape Town was one of the most popular travel destinations for Shanghai residents, partly because of South Africa's promotional tourism efforts, but also because the Chinese love buying diamonds and going on safaris.

Officials said that preparations are on track for the soccer showcase back home. Matches will be broadcast inside the African pavilion later the same day.

Most of the matches of the World Cup, which features 32 teams, will be screened live in China in the early morning, several hours after the pavilions close at around 10 pm. The Expo closes its gates at midnight. Several countries are hoping to bring soccer stars to the Expo for promotional purposes, including David Beckham, Portugal's Ronaldo and members of Italy's league-leading Inter Milan.

Although South Africa's disorganization and delays gave rise to rumors two years ago that FIFA may shunt the World Cup to another country, such as the United States, soccer bigwigs were recently quoted as saying: "We could start the World Cup today".

"In past years the reason the World Cup has never been staged in Africa is because people in the rest of the world did not trust Africa," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said previously. "I trust Africa and South Africa. It is time the rest of the world did the same."

Nkoane-Mashabane crystallized the point.

"South Africa's time has come," she said.