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cartier x expo 2025 osaka | women’s pavilion opens with a call to action

Cartier and Expo 2025 Osaka officially unveiled the Women’s Pavilion on 21 May, marking the beginning of a six-month programme dedicated to gender equality, creative exchange, and collective dialogue. Conceived in collaboration with Japan’s Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Economy and Industry, and the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the space is designed not just as an architectural landmark, but as a global platform.

Set within Osaka’s Expo Hall, the inaugural ceremony brought together over 1,600 guests — from students and cultural figures to ministers and CEOs — for an evening of conversation, performance, and reflection. “The Women’s Pavilion is a space for elevation of voices, of ideas, of perspectives,” said June Miyachi, President & CEO of Cartier Japan. “And a reminder that lasting equality is within our reach when we choose to build it together.”

At the heart of the pavilion is the WA space, an open forum intended to host discussions, exhibitions, and workshops throughout the Expo. Designed by architect Yuko Nagayama, the pavilion’s structure will continue its journey post-Expo, taking on a second life as part of the Green Expo in Yokohama in 2027.

The first WA Dialogues, moderated by writer and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig OBE, brought together figures from the UN, private sector and global civil society to explore how alliances across institutions, companies, and communities can accelerate gender equality. “When public and private sectors, philanthropic foundations and individuals unite in a common cause, they become a powerful force for good,” said Cyrille Vigneron, Chairman of Cartier Culture & Philanthropy. “Empowering women is a cornerstone of lasting progress because when women thrive, humanity thrives.”

Later sessions spotlighted the role of philanthropy in supporting women and girls, addressing topics from legal inequality to gender-based violence. The energy throughout the day — and into the evening’s cultural celebration — reflected the Pavilion’s ambition: to build momentum through collaboration.

Poet and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador JJ Bola opened the ceremony with his piece Something Beautiful, followed by a multi-sensory performance blending Japanese traditional music and contemporary choreography. Another standout moment came with a rare Noh theatre performance by the Kongo family, reinterpreted with a female flutist.

The evening closed on the Osaka Geihinkan Lawn with a dinner by chef Kei Kobayashi and a spoken-word performance by poet Emi Mahmoud. Under Kyoto-made lanterns and surrounded by local ceramics and flora, the night embodied what the Women’s Pavilion hopes to stand for: unity, creativity, and the courage to imagine something better.

“Women have always been at the heart of creating change, yet their stories often go untold,” said UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Tetsuko Kuroyanagi in a video message. “The Women’s Pavilion celebrates their strength and resilience… and calls on all of us to work hand-in-hand to create a more equitable and compassionate world.”

Expo 2025 runs until October. The Women’s Pavilion will continue to host WA Dialogues, immersive exhibits and interactive experiences designed to inspire, challenge, and connect.

Find out more at womenspavilion.cartier.com.

photography. Victor Picon, Dorothée Murail
words. Gennaro Costanzo