The theme chose by Portugal was warmly welcomed worldwide. The United Nations General Assembly held in December 1994 in New York declared 1998 as the International Year of the Oceans. This move had the unanimous support of the 185 countries bound to the Organisation.
1998 is also the year when the Quincentenary of the Discovery of the Sea Route to India by the Portuguese navigator Vasco de Gama is commemorated.
Thus, the year of Expo'98 will be ideal for putting on a series of ocean related political, cultural and scientific displays of worldwide interest. Two such events are scheduled to take place during the Exhibition itself: