We will spare no effort to make it truly global and inspirational for generations to remember, said Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airlines and Group. Shaikh Ahmed is also the Chairman of the Higher Committee for Hosting the Expo.

“Dubai is fully committed to delivering an exceptional World Expo in 2020 — an Expo that the Bureau International des Expositions will be proud of and an Expo that will truly be for the world. Our goal is to present the best Expo in its 150 year history,” he said on Monday evening with the towering Burj Khalifa in the backdrop.

He said the UAE’s muti-culturalism has been its strength, and the can-do spirit of its people, who are its soul, has seen it surge ahead on the path to progress. He said the country is home to nearly 200 nationalities and welcomes millions of tourists from around the world every year. “They (the BIE team) will experience the excitement and strong support for Expo 2020 exhibited by our multi-cultural nation as well as see first-hand the spirit of Dubai.”

Dubai has come a long way from when it was a small trading post. It is now a thriving, dynamic and cosmopolitan city connecting rapidly growing economies such as India, China, Brazil and the African continent. This combined with our rich cultural heritage is the ideal blend of the old with the new, Shaikh Ahmed said.

The reception was attended by BIE members, officials from DP World, Dubai Airports, Emirates, Emirates NBD, etisalat and Jumeirah Group. Leading lights of the business community also attended in support of the country’s bid.

The iconic Dubai Fountain later poured forth to the strains of Czech composer Antonin Dvoøak’s Symphony from the New World — the anthem of the BIE. It was followed by the story of the UAE as told by Shayma Al Mughairy, a 17-year-old sand artist.

The BIE Executive Committee is assessing the UAE’s 2020 bid which falls on the eve of the country’s Golden Jubilee. The site of the proposed Expo is Dubai Trade Centre in Jebel Ali.

Four other cities are in the fray and the winner will be announced in November after 163 member nations vote on the bids.

True worth of True North

Meanwhile, the country’s Expo bid has reached Havana in Cuba in the form of a 70-foot long sailing boat, the True North, which is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. The boat has been spreading Dubai’s message across the world through its multi-national crew.

Reem Ibrahim Al Hashimi, Minister of State, and Managing Director of the Higher Committee for Hosting the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, said: “Given the UAE’s proximity to the sea, sailing plays a proud part in our heritage. We are very pleased that True North has arrived safely in Cuba, as we keep track of her journey across the globe to support our country’s bid to bring the world together in 2020.

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