Dubai Expo is once-in-a-lifetime experience bringing the world together. Open from
October 1, 2021 it is a launch pad for the global collaboration. This time the expo
coincides with the UAE’s 50th anniversary in 2021
With a representation from more than 190 countries, Dubai Expo 2020 is a marvellous experience.
Earlier the opening ceremony of the expo with the 3,000-strong audience inside Al Wasl Plaza and
millions across the globe tuned in to virtually view the eagerly awaited event. With the golden ring
of connectivity – the inspiration for the Expo 2020 Dubai logo – raised to the trellis of the
magnificent Al Wasl Plaza, the beating heart of the Expo site and the spectacular setting for the
captivating ceremony, the most inclusive World Expo ever was officially underway. The expo will end
in March 2022.
In addition to music from some of the most influential artists on the planet and a beautiful live
orchestra, a sensory overload of powerful visuals was beamed across Al Wasl Plaza’s dome, the
world’s largest 360-degree projection screen to mark the opening cermony. More than 3,000 lighting
fixtures, 1,000 speakers, 1,300 costumes and buckets of passion and emotion from every one of the
1,000-plus participating performers and volunteers also contributed to a one-of-a-kind spectacle of
masterful artistic collaboration.
His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and
Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai, welcomed the world to Expo 2020 Dubai – and to the
UAE – in his speech, saying: “Expo 2020 Dubai will provide a significant platform for all people to
connect, discuss and work together. Together, we will convey, from the UAE to the world, on our
50th anniversary, a message of tolerance, coexistence and peace; a message of progress, prosperity
and growth; a message of brotherhood, happiness and an unwavering will to create a brighter future
for everyone.”
The flags of Expo’s 192 participating nations, revealed via a domino effect as flags were opened one
by one, was a proud and visually stunning moment that also signified a reawakening of the world.
Other highlights included the official Expo song, This Is Our Time, sung by Arab artists Hussain Al
Jassmi, Almas and Mayssa Karaa, while Emirati singing sensation Ahlam Alshamsi completed the
formidable regional line-up. The artistic prowess of Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman’s all-
women ensemble, the Firdaus Orchestra, comprising 50 musicians from across the Arab world, also
proved a pivotal part of the ceremony’s inspiring journey.
A feeling of warmth, respect, togetherness and camaraderie was palpable throughout the
celebration, which also demonstrated that the world is primed and ready to re-embrace live events.
The stage is now set for Expo 2020 Dubai to host the biggest cultural gathering in the world,
presenting a visually striking and emotionally inspiring 182 days, as more than 200 participants –
including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as
millions of visitors – create the largest and most diverse World Expo ever.
The expo will feature unique architecture, culture and innovations from organisations to 192
participating nations. Every participating country will have its own pavilion and will present
immersive cultural experiences.
Countless technological advances await visitors at Dubai Expo. Discover life-changing innovations
and experience a truly connected high-tech world. The UK Pavilion of Artificial Intelligence inspired
by Stephen Hawking, designed by Es Devlin Studio and curated by AI is one such. Emirates Pavilion is
where you can explore the future of air travel.
Al Wasl dome is a marvel – the centrepiece of Expo 2020 Dubai, equipped with the world’s largest
360-degree projection screen and more than 250 state-of-the-art projectors – but it’s only one of
Expo’s many technological innovations. Ride the world’s largest passenger lift, interact with the
more than 150 robots offering assistance or delivering food, or experience what it feels like to travel
at high speed on a hyperloop.
Experience the union of art and technology by stepping inside the 14-metre-high walls of a
spectacular, 360-degree immersive water, light and fire show or be mesmerised by the front of the
Republic of Korea Pavilion, which features descending rows of glowing digital cubes that spin and
light up in synchronised displays.
India’s massive 4-floor pavilion at Dubai Expo was also an instant hit with promises to captivate one
and all with a brilliant mix of Ayurveda, Yoga, Space programme, and its fast-growing US$ 2.5 trillion
economy. It showcased India’s art, culture, literature, cinema and cuisine from across 36 states and
union territories. It is also a chance to Discover Indian businesses across 27 verticals of the economy,
India’s states and the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem. Over 150 mega cultural and business
events and 26 multilateral summits will be hosted over the course of 182 days. The dynamic façade
will narrate the 75-year old journey of the world’s largest democracy. Every week, the Pavilion’s
façade will turn into a screen where three selected stories of the ‘constant change’ and ‘timeless
endurance’ of what is quintessential India would be beamed.
From Korean food to the increasing popularity of its entertainment industry – with K-pop stars,
Netflix smash hits and Oscar-winning films aplenty – the Republic of Korea’s cultural exports are
making the whole world sit up and take notice. And the country’s pavilion at Expo 2020 is riding the
crest of this wave. The buzz around the psychedelic, colour-shifting Republic of Korea Pavilion, one
of the biggest hits during Expo’s opening month, shows that the rest of the world is not only lapping
up Korean food, but the country’s wide range of cultural attractions.
The Belgian pavilion has certainly lived up to its reputation of being the powerhouse of European
mobility. With a 500 square meter exhibition offering visitors an insight into Belgian innovation as
well as a kiosk of Belgian delicacies, the pavilion is sure to be one to watch for the duration of the
Expo. And that’s before we’ve even mentioned the lush Green Arch exterior that champions
biomimicry, a concept whereby solutions to modern day issues are modelled on nature.
Cuba, Hungary, Egypt, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Monaco and Saudi Arabia country pavilions are some
of the captivating pavilions in the expo. The Saudi Arabian pavilion is the second-largest at Expo
2020 Dubai and is packed with things to see and do. The striking design of the pavilion has been
created with sustainability in mind and is LEED Platinum Certified (a green rating system).