On April 30th, Italy unveiled the design for its national pavilion in World Expo Shanghai 2010 as the country signed a participation contract with the organizers.

The pavilion, called The City of Man, is composed of 20 functional modules that can be assembled freely, Giampaolo Imbrighi, its designer, said at a press conference.

The design was inspired by a traditional Shanghai game, Imbrighi said. In the game, children drop a batch of 20 to 30 sticks on a table and try to move one stick at a time without moving the others until all the sticks are cleared.

Imbrighi said the shape of the pavilion is as changeable as the game, which is called“Shanghai”in Italy.

The design was selected out of 65 candidates from a competition among European Union countries, said Beniamino Quintieri, commissioner general for Italy. The 20 modules represent the 20 regions of Italy, making the whole pavilion embody a mini Italian city.

The design also represents the harmony of different cultures and regions. When people walk in the pavilion, they will feel like walking in a city that combines Shanghai’s Shikumen-style lanes and an Italian square, Quintieri said.

Italy reserved a 6,000-square-meter plot of land for its pavilion, which will be made with cutting edge ‘transparent concrete,’ Quintieri added.

Hong Hao, director of the Bureau of World Expo Shanghai Coordination, and Quintieri signed the participation contract after the press conference.

Hong said that since Milan won the bid to host World Expo 2015, the country is more than just a participant at Shanghai Expo. He said the two countries are the hosts of ’sister Expos’ and will have many chances to share valuable experience.

Also, three Italian cities — Venice, Bologna, Milan — will have the chance to exhibit in the Urban Best Practices Area at Expo 2010.