Despite the pandemic, the UAE succeeded in making Expo 2020 Dubai, the best edition in history.
Over the course of 6 months, various events and activities were held in the corridors of Expo Dubai, including cultural, social, scientific and environmental, organized by international institutions and organizations.
These activities, organized by several countries participating in the exhibition, came with the aim of exchanging cultures and experiences and presenting them to the public.
Expo 2020 Dubai was a real opportunity for the UAE as it allowed the country to show the world some of its real achievements under the wise leadership on the ground.
Through the Expo 2020 Dubai, the UAE has sent messages to the whole world, which enshrine the exhibition’s slogan “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future”, which brought the world together in one place and under one dome.
Record
The figures revealed that Expo 2020 Dubai broke the record for visitors to Expo Milan 2015 to be surpassed by 800,000 visitors, after the number of its visitors reached more than 22 million during the period of its holding.
Expo 2020 Dubai recorded more than one million visits last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the last week of Expo 2020 Dubai ranked as the busiest week during the six-month period of the international event.
Starting with the Al Wasl Dome, the jewel in the crown of Expo 2020 Dubai, and the surreal Expo waterfalls, along with the group of high-level entertainment events and the magnificent pavilions of the 192 participating countries, visitors to the international event are amazed at how the largest global gathering of its kind since the beginning of the pandemic period from all over the world. around the world in one place.
tackling challenges
The Expo 2020 Dubai program allowed people and planet to exchange inspiring new visions in order to address the major challenges and opportunities of our time, including climate, biodiversity, and global goals. Long after Expo 2020 Dubai ends on March 31, 2022.
It is worth noting that the number of virtual visits to Expo 2020 Dubai exceeded the threshold of 197 million, thanks to the various entertainment events available via live broadcast (Live@Expo), and the wide coverage of the activities of the Expo 2020 Dubai program for people and planet.
In his speech on the occasion of the closing ceremony of Expo 2020 Dubai, Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions, the supervising body for international exhibitions, said that Expo 2020 Dubai was a noble symbol of resilience and optimism as it lit the way for all participants towards creating a better future.
During his speech, he referred to the impressive success of Expo 2020 Dubai, the first edition of the World Expo to be held in the region.
He described how the organizers, the 192 participating countries, and a range of other stakeholders joined forces to tackle the challenges of holding this massive six-month celebration in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He praised the tremendous efforts made at the Expo 2020 Dubai site and all the work teams.
On the development of international exhibitions since 1851, he said: “When we rethink the reason for launching these events, we see that they were a way for the whole world and its countries to showcase their latest innovations, and the Industrial Revolution had taken place, and therefore all it was about was a review of how manufacturing was being conducted.” The world, but what we see today is an evolution of that period, so World Expos are now very focused on how we bring people together and how we can unite our efforts.”
He added that this is an important reason for the impact of Expo 2020 Dubai, as it has already brought 192 countries together for the good of humanity.
Creating the future of mankind
Regarding the adoption of the current version of the World Expo, the policy of “a pavilion for each country”, he stressed that it is an impressive attempt to give each country an opportunity to truly express its voice, and this is really important in Expo 2020 by allowing everyone to express their identity, and not trying to present what we think represents the other in front of the public.
He continued, “What we are really pleased with is seeing how countries represented themselves and how they focused so heavily on the part of this topic that concerns them, and this is the case of all countries, regardless of their size, population or GDP. Whatever our identity, we can play a role in the future of humanity, And in a future that connects with each other and in which we can live together sustainably. So I was very pleased to see how these countries came together for that.”
On the role of Expo 2020 Dubai, in setting new standards for future international exhibitions, he stressed that Expo 2020 Dubai succeeded in setting new standards despite the challenges at Expo 2025 in Japan, and work will continue and this legacy will appear in the Osaka version.
On the challenges faced by Expo 2020 Dubai, Dimitri Kerkentzes said: “In the 170 years of World Expo history, we have never had to deal with such obstacles and frankly, everyone is credited with the decisions made when you hear that Expo 2020 Dubai It is about solidarity and brotherhood, and you find that really embodied in how we have overcome these obstacles, by adapting the laws, and by postponing the international event for a year.”
Exceptional course and huge achievements
He stressed that all the achievements were the result of teamwork, and the BIE, its member states, the UAE, Dubai and everyone here on site were able to achieve this and meet the expectations that were set in the pre-Covid-19 world. This is amazing.
He pointed out that Expo 2020 Dubai will generate a lot of interest in the region and throughout Africa as well and I have noticed a lot of interest in how to start organizing such an event in other parts of the world so I am looking forward to the next five to ten years to see the impact of this on the list of future nominations.