"We heard that CBN may be getting some designers to take the bikes apart and redesign them in some way for the auction to make it more interesting," said Lene Winthers, the pavilion's head of press.
Spain, which has 8,542 wicker plates framing its huge pavilion, will be donating some of them "if the sum is high enough", said a spokesperson, surnamed Xi.
Italy is mulling handing over some of the "transparent concrete blocks" that coat its exterior, said pavilion spokesperson Marianna Drago. This new building material made its global debut at the Shanghai Expo.
However, the real star of the auction may prove to be diamonds from the Belgium-EU pavilion, which has an exhibit featuring a diamond-encrusted golden tennis racket and other famous pieces worth a total of 20 million yuan ($2.95 million). Some of these may be donated for the auction, said the exhibit's general manager, Ben Lao.
He said the pavilion is also considering hosting its own celebrity-studded diamond gallery auction in the second or third week of October to raise funds for charity.
"The Expo's theme is 'Better City, Better Life', but we also need to remember all of the people who live within the city, or society, and do all we can to help improve their quality of life," he said.
As such, the Belgian side of the pavilion is sending most of the proceeds it rakes in from its daily lucky draws to the Chinese Red Cross, Lao said.
Callers are charged 1 yuan per text message as they dial in to try and win one of three daily prizes of jewelry worth up to 4,999 yuan apiece.
Lao said they have received up to 150,000 calls or text messages over the course of the last three months.
(Source: China Daily)
Special Report: World Expo 2010
