Expo 2020 Dubai will be 'unforgettable', says BIE chief

Dubai - Impressed by Dubai's preparations, Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales confident of very successful event

The governing body for World Expos on Monday said the impressive preparations underway for Expo 2020 Dubai would make it an unforgettable world event.
Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, secretary-general of Bureau International des Expositions, or BIE, said the Dubai Expo team is working in the right direction.
"I am very impressed by the preparations and presentations and I believe Expo 2020 is going to be an unforgettable event," he said.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the first International Planning Meeting, or IPM, hosted by Expo 2020 Dubai, Loscertales said the planning and meticulous preparations for the expo by an efficient team are up to BIE's expectations.
"Dubai has a very good expo team working hard. Participants at the IPM are also equally impressed with the messages and communications from the organisers and look forward to an excellent Expo that will truly connect people around the world."
Loscertales said the two upcoming events, Astana Expo 2017 and Expo 2020 Dubai, would provide visitors from across the world opportunities to discover and experience ideas and innovations that will define the future.
The two-day IPM, which seeks to highlight the benefits of participating in the World Expo, brought together representatives of nations from around the world.
Reem Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Cabinet Member and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General of Bureau Expo Dubai 2020, said the IPM is the first major event in an ongoing programme of international engagement.
The opening day featured high-level presentations and panel discussions, followed by hands-on workshops highlighting details of the Expo 2020 Dubai master plan, theme and visitor journey. Presentations also sought to highlight business opportunities in the UAE for innovation, trade and investment, and knowledge transfer.
Expo 2020 Dubai, which will take place between October 20, 2020 and April 10, 2021, with approximately 25 million visitors expected, aims to host more than 180 countries. For the first time in the history of World Expos, each country will have an individual pavilion, enhancing the ability of nations to showcase themselves. Participant countries will be able to directly engage with 25 million visitors at the mega-event, generate a wide range of business opportunities and access regional markets through the collaborative platform that Expo offers.
The master plan of the Expo, which was unveiled at the Arab Media Forum, was displayed at the IPM. The Expo site will spread across a two sqkm, revolving around the Al Wasl meeting plaza - the figurative and literal heart of Expo 2020 Dubai.
Spreading outwards from Al Wasl will be three Theme Districts, each boasting its respective Theme Pavilion.
Ahead of the start of infrastructure works in July, the site has seen over four million cubic metres of earth moved as the site has been levelled in preparation for construction.
In April, Switzerland became the first country to announce its intention to participate in Expo 2020 Dubai, citing the economic and political significance of the host country and the geopolitical weight of the Gulf as one of the reasons behind its participation.
- issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com