With one year to go to the mega-event, the UAE is ready to host the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.
UAE federal government and local organisations are ready to receive more than 190 countries, and are waiting to welcome millions of visitors to a site that combines inspiring architecture with cutting-edge technologies – a meeting point for “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future“.
With 365 days until Expo 2020 Dubai opens its doors to the world, Dubai is ready to bring the world together and the excitement is building.
In October next year, the UAE will welcome the world to a global mega-event that aims to reconnect people, cultures and society following the COVID-19 pandemic. Featuring a spectacular calendar of daily events and programming, a rich variety of global cuisine, and a once-in-a-lifetime showcase of arts, architecture, entertainment, culture and technology, Expo 2020 will pay tribute to the resilience of humanity, its ability to innovate, and its pursuit of optimism in the face of adversity.
Progress at Expo 2020 has continued at pace. More than 210 million work hours have been completed on the site and all permanent Expo-led construction is complete. Fit-out, landscaping, and construction of Country Pavilions will conclude at the end of the year.
Reviewing progress and preparations toward the major international event, leaders of Dubai and the UAE’s public and private sectors have confirmed the UAE’s and Dubai’s readiness to hosting this mega event and its visitors from all around the world.
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said: “In just one year’s time, as the UAE celebrate its Golden Jubilee and we look ahead to the next 50 years of our nation, we will be bringing the world together for an unparalleled World Expo, anchored in the values of solidarity, cooperation and creativity. These values have been the pillars of our successful economic model, which has never stopped adapting to world changes during the past few decades. Expo 2020 Dubai will be a major milestone in our development journey and will be followed by similarly ambitious projects.“
“We are ready to welcome the world for an exceptional event, and we plan to leave a meaningful legacy in the form of the positive impact our World Expo will have on the lives, minds and hearts of millions all over the globe.”
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Expo 2020 Dubai will stand testament to the fact that great results can be achieved when we collaborate on ambitious goals. During the event, we will demonstrate how our nation values tolerance and how it has become a pillar of our society. Tolerance gives rise to cooperation, a value instilled in us across generations. And at Expo 2020, we aim to share with the world how tolerance and cooperation form the foundation with which our nation has advanced and developed. The world is going through a difficult period. But here in the UAE, our history and our leadership have taught us that progress need not be halted because of obstacles in its way. This is our message and our vision for the future of humanity that we aim to share, not by words alone, but by opening our doors to the world during Expo 2020. By sharing innovation, creativity, and ideas for the good of all of humanity, Expo 2020 will be a vital moment for our region and the world.”
Expo 2020 will be one of the first global, large-scale events to be held post COVID-19. It will celebrate humanity’s resilience and achievements, and its ability to innovate for a better future. More than 190 countries, plus companies, international organisations and educational institutions, will participate in the six-month event that will shed the light on the biggest challenges facing our world, and inspire a collective movement towards building a better future for all of us.
Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of His Highness The Ruler’s Court and Vice Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said: “Dubai and the UAE are eagerly awaiting this global event, which will reiterate Dubai’s position as a global hub for entrepreneurship and ambition. The Expo platform will provide opportunities for everyone to explore new horizons and establish new partnerships that respond to the needs of the 21st century. The participation of more than 190 countries and the presence of organisations from around the world is a confirmation of Dubai’s effective role globally. Today, while we start our countdown of one year to go until Expo opens its doors, we tell the world that Dubai and the UAE are ready to welcome and receive you in October 2021.”
As a national event, being held in the year that the country celebrates its Golden jubilee, Dubai and the UAE’s federal, local and private entities have come together to collaborate on delivering this milestone event. This includes agreements with Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism and Development Authority on wide-ranging initiatives to drive visitation from key international source markets.
Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Member of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said: “Working with more than 190 participating countries, we have taken huge steps on our way towards hosting the world in the UAE at Expo 2020, working together to support innovation and showcase mankind’s achievements. It will provide an outstanding platform for the UAE to reflect the ambitions of its leadership in enhancing international cooperation. We are working hard to help Expo 2020 Dubai foster innovation through its partnerships, partners and participants, to serve humanity’s ambitions, help achieve sustainable development and establish partnerships that will continue beyond 2022, in the region and across the whole world.”
Expo 2020 Dubai will focus on finding solutions for challenges through innovation, technology and cooperation – sharing and inspiring ideas and driving human progress in all fields.
And with the world on the edge of unprecedented transformation owing to the fourth industrial revolution, Expo 2020 will shed a strong light on the promise of innovation and technology in solving the world’s most pressing challenges. In addition to site-wide 5G connectivity provided by Premier Partner Etisalat, robotics across the site, as well as other next generation marvels for visitors to experience, Expo will highlight how innovators backed by its global innovation and impact grant programme, Expo Live, and novel ideas selected for the Global Best Practice Programme, are coming to the aid of millions in marginalised communities around the world.
Dr. Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Member of the Expo Dubai Higher Committee, added: “At a time when the world needs to unite as never before, the UAE looks forward to bringing together people of all cultures, creeds and religions, by connecting minds in order to create a better future for all. Expo will play a strategic role as a critical convening platform for empowering joint action for a new global vision of the post-Covid-19 era, with a focus on leveraging the innovations and technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; building a brighter, economically and socially sustainable future for this generation and generations to come.”
Dubai Tourism, through a variety of activities, will play a vital role in attracting tourists, businesses, MICE and other sectors, helping Expo to achieve its goal of 25 million visits.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, and Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee Member, said: “The one year to go milestone of Expo 2020 also coincides with Dubai being the first major global destination to fully open up its MICE sector internationally, critically spearheading the re-ignition of imperative networking events and face to face engagement, which are vital factors in accelerating the revival of all major sectors. This is testament to the city’s handling of the pandemic and its ability to adapt rapidly, which will be key drivers in the delivery of a world-class and highly relevant World Expo and further fast-tracks Dubai’s growth trajectory as a top five global tourism hub for both business and leisure.”
As Expo marks this key milestone, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said: “Our World Expo has a mission to inspire hope, and in the coming weeks we will begin to share new details and ideas about space, health and wellness, travel and connectivity and other subjects that sit at the heart of this Expo. We hope that people will join us to achieve our objectives to bring the world together and put humanity and the planet on the right path towards dignity for all. As we mark a year to go until we open, I want to thank all those who work so hard and so passionately to deliver an exceptional Expo”.
