Governments

There are still months to go before EXPO 2027 Belgrade opens its doors. In May 2027, visitors will arrive for the first EXPO ever held in the Western Balkans. Yet the international story of Belgrade 2027 is already taking shape. 

For a global communications agency, the work begins well before the first visitor arrives. It is about recognising a story while it is still taking shape, building the relationships that may give it an audience later, and looking beyond the immediate event to ask a broader question: why should someone in London, Paris, Berlin or New York care about what is happening in Belgrade? 

The appointment of Jelena Janković as a Global Ambassador for EXPO 2027 offered one answer. In Serbia, the former world No. 1 is a familiar name. Internationally, she is known first and foremost through tennis. That combination created a natural bridge between Serbia, sport and the EXPO – and a story with a relevance beyond the event itself. 

mc Group developed and coordinated the international media communications around the appointment, from the English-language announcement and multilingual adaptations to media outreach and the preparation of targeted interview opportunities. The objective was not simply to announce a new ambassador, but to explore the different stories the appointment could unlock. 

That process is rarely linear. 

Which editors and correspondents might take an interest? Does the story belong in sport, travel, culture or international news? Which elements might work for television, which for digital platforms and which for print? And what becomes possible when the focus shifts from the event itself to the people, places and ideas surrounding it? 

These are the conversations now taking place around EXPO 2027. mc group is also exploring potential media collaborations with international names including BBC, CNN, Euronews, Eurosport and the Financial Times – from interviews and editorial features to live coverage, branded films and formats that introduce Serbia as both host country and destination. 

Much of this work remains invisible. Storylines are tested and reshaped. Some are pursued; others are left behind. Contacts are established long before there is a reason to call them. Opportunities emerge through conversations that may lead somewhere – or nowhere. 

That is the nature of international communications. The visible moment is often only the result of months of work happening quietly in the background. 

As Belgrade 2027 approaches, the number of stories will grow: stories about sport and music, people and encounters, Serbia as host, and the wider idea behind the EXPO’s theme, “Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All.” 

The gates will open in May 2027. 

The conversation has already begun.