Serbia has a long history of participating in World Expos and is celebrating nearly 140 years since its first participation in an International Exhibition in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The Kingdom of Serbia was one of 12 participating countries at that time, with its pavilion occupying an area of 125 square metres and featuring as many as 302 exhibitors.

Serbia's first full-scale participation in an International Exhibition is considered to be its representation at the EXPO 1900 Paris. The pavilion, designed in the traditional Serbian-Byzantine style, was the work of Milan Kapetanović in collaboration with architect Milorad Ruvidić. For this exposition, the painting "The Coronation of Emperor Dušan" (The Proclamation of Dušan's Code) by Paja Jovanović was commissioned. Interestingly, the painting was awarded a gold medal, while the EXPO plaque for the invention of an analogue hydraulic computer for solving differential equations (the hydro integrator) was awarded to the renowned Serbian mathematician Mihajlo Petrović Alas. This invention is considered a precursor to modern cybernetics.

At the EXPO 1937 Paris, the Yugoslav pavilion (designed by Josip Seissel) reflected the spirit of fascism rising at the time, with its simple structure and monumental neoclassical rhetoric. The aim was to present Yugoslavia as a vital and progressive state and Yugoslavs as an ancient nation with rich cultural diversity. The pavilion's construction was aligned with these principles. Initially, the plan was to display sculptures from Ivan Meštrović's Vidovdan Cycle in the pavilion, but due to conflicts between the artist and the delegation leaders, this did not happen. Interestingly, the organisers of this Expo decided to symbolically place two pavilions at the centre of Paris, opposite each other – the pavilions of the Third Reich and the Soviet Union – while the Eiffel Tower dominantly stood between them. The German pavilion was designed by the famous architect Albert Speer, and the Soviet pavilion by the renowned Vera Mukhina. At the same event, Picasso exhibited "Guernica", Calder his sculptures, and Miró his paintings in the Spanish pavilion.

At the first major post-war Expo in Brussels in 1958, socialist Yugoslavia made a remarkable appearance with a phenomenal pavilion designed by Zagreb architect Vjenceslav Richter. The pavilion, built in line with the most modern architectural trends of the time, caused great enthusiasm among visitors. Constructed of iron and glass, the structure represented the modernism of Yugoslav ideas. A strong cable held six steel arches symbolising the six Yugoslav republics. Our country received the EXPO Gold Medal for the pavilion, which was sold to Belgium after the exhibition ended. The building still exists today and is used as a high school in the Belgian municipality of Wevelgem in West Flanders.

The same was true for the Yugoslav pavilion built for the EXPO 1967 Montreal, which was sold for one dollar to avoid the costs of dismantling and transportation. The pavilion, an architectural work by Miroslav Pešić, showed various scenes of urban life in the socialist federal state, natural landscapes, historical artifacts, ancient buildings, and more.

At another International Exhibition in Canada, this time held in Vancouver in 1986, the pavilion by author Milan Pališaski represented a creative synthesis that unified Yugoslav identity. The design of the pavilion’s logo, titled "Man in Motion", was entrusted to the famous painter Vladimir Veličković, a member of the Mediala art group.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Serbia made its first independent appearance at EXPO 2010 Shanghai, where our pavilion, with a façade in the style of a traditional Pirot carpet, left a strong impression on visitors. The architects Natalija Miodragović and Darko Kovačev were guided by the idea of incorporating a motif that had represented Serbia more than a century earlier at the Paris exhibition – the Pirot carpet through a playful façade. Over a million visitors toured the Serbian pavilion, and visitors queued to get a Serbian stamp in their EXPO passports.

Following Shanghai, Serbia had a highly notable presence at EXPO 2015 Milan, where many domestic companies participated. Due to the catastrophic floods that had recently struck our country, Italy waived Serbia’s pavilion rental fee.

The Vinča culture inspired the participation of Serbia which, along with Slovenia, was one of only two countries from the former Yugoslavia to present itself at EXPO 2020 Dubai. Serbia's pavilion, located at the heart of the Mobility District, was conceived as a kind of time capsule connecting the legacy of the Neolithic Vinča culture with a digitally advanced and modern Serbia. The pavilion was fully digitised, offering the possibility of virtual travel through different realities, eras, and spaces. Under the slogan "Serbia Creates Ideas – Inspired by the Past, Creating the Future", our country presented itself to numerous visitors at this exhibition through more than 150 different events, aiming to present itself as a modern, innovative country attractive for the development of trade and tourism.