After arriving at its destination last Wednesday, February 12, "Makün: El Manto de Chile" was received in Osaka in a ceremony attended by the Chilean ambassador to Japan, Ricardo Rojas; the honorary consul of Chile in Osaka, Hidetaka Koshikawa; the commercial director of ProChile, Nury Disegni; and the country manager of Chile in Expo Osaka, Toshihisa Takasaki.
An important milestone for the participation of Chile's participation in the next universal exposition which will take place between April 13 and October 13, and will feature pavilions from 161 countries under the theme "Designing the Future Society for Our Lives".
A symbol of Chilean identity and tradition
"Today we are honored to receive 'El Manto de Chile', an incredible work made by women artisans that, together with its high-tech wooden structure, will be the centerpiece of our pavilion at Expo Osaka," said Chile's ambassador to Japan, Ricardo Rojas.
"After an extensive journey that began on January 3 at the port of San Antonio de Chile, today we received Makün," said the commercial director of ProChile in Japan, Nury Disegni, also highlighting the support of the company Noe Group, in charge of the transfer and installation of the mantle. "This work represents the diversity, inclusion and innovation that characterize our country," she said.
"Makün: The Mantle of Chile" and its Mapuche origin.
"Makün" is a word of Mapuche origin that means mantle or blanket (protective garment), which appeals to the traditional textile culture of the Mapuche people.
The mantle, with a surface area of approximately 242 m², was a proposal developed by the architectural firm CONSTRUCTO. Following a competition opened by ProChile in February 2024, it was selected to implement the interior architecture and façade of the Chile Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025.
The design fuses traditional textile surfaces with a wood construction system manufactured by the Chilean company Arauco, using state-of-the-art technology from around the world. This union represents the contrasts that characterize the diversity of the country.
After months of work by 200 weavers from the Araucanía and Biobío regions, belonging to five Mapuche groups, the mantle was sent to Japan and is about to be installed in the Chilean pavilion during the first weeks of March.
Chile at Expo Osaka 2025
Chile's participation in Expo Osaka seeks to convey the Chilean State's determination to position itself in Asia Pacific. Chile's presence will allow the promotion of its new sustainable industries, in addition to strengthening the role of our country as a bridge to Latin America.
It also seeks to continue strengthening the strategic bilateral relationship with Japan, a country with which Chile has the oldest diplomatic relations -since 1897- and with which there is an exchange valued at more than 9 billion dollars.
"The milestone we celebrate today is an event that strengthens the ties of friendship between Chile and Japan. Makün has finally arrived on Japanese soil as a symbol of cooperation, friendship and mutual commitment between both nations," ProChile's commercial attaché, Nury Disegni, said during the ceremony.
"We are supporting Chile and we are excited that the expo will open soon so that everyone can get to know the Chilean proposal. I think it will be something that will surprise many," added the honorary consul of Chile in Osaka, Hidetaka Koshikawa.
Chile's pavilion, which will officially open its doors to the public on April 13, 2025, will become a highlight of Expo 2025, located in the "Saving Lives" sector, reflecting the country's commitment to addressing global challenges and promoting sustainable development.
Read the original article on ProChile's website here.
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