Expo 2020 Dubai: Excitement peaks as one-month countdown begins

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Dubai - Residents have already begun buying tickets for the six-month event extravaganza

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Anjana Sankar

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Published: Wed 1 Sep 2021, 6:13 PM

With just 30 days to go for Dubai to host the world’s biggest show, excitement is peaking among residents and Expo 2020 Dubai participants.

The upbeat mood is palpable, and people have already begun buying tickets for the six-month event extravaganza.


Rasmi Girish, a mother of two in Dubai and a long-time Dubai resident, said she has already bought her tickets to the event. “My seasonal pass is ready already!”

“This is going to be the greatest show of a lifetime. Apart from the innovative architecture of each pavilion, I am looking forward to the sustainable future Expo 2020 Dubai will showcase,” said Girish.


She said she is also looking forward to the amazing food experiences, which is a “foodie’s delight.”

Lina Abbas, Acting Manager of Marketing and PR at Dubai Culture, said she is very excited to visit Expo 2020 Dubai. “I got the opportunity to have a sneak peek of the Al Wasl Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site and got goosebumps. I am looking forward to seeing the 'world meet' in Dubai, and showing the world that Dubai has the best winter in the world and an amazing and creative content to present to all visitors,” said Abbas, a Lebanese expat living in since 20 years.

Khalifa, a UAE national who does not want to reveal his full name, said he is ‘very excited to attend the Expo and ‘meet the world.’

“I am very proud of the organisers who have put together a show of this scale,” he added.

Mohamed Hassan, a Pakistani father of three, said his children aged 5 and 7 and 13 are excited to see the world fair. “It is a great blessing that children have free access. They already know so much about Expo 2020 Dubai from social media. I do not think we will ever get another chance to visit a world fair,” said Hassan.

Ariella Steinreich, PR professional, there is already a ‘great buzz in the air’ as Expo 2020 Dubai approaches.

“Expo 2020 Dubai is a wonderful opportunity for the UAE – and Dubai in particular – to showcase how it has become one of the world’s leading business hubs. The theme of Expo – connecting minds and creating the future through sustainability, mobility and opportunity – is on top of mind for the business leaders we work with every day. This is a tremendous opportunity for businesses around the world to come, network, and grow together,” Steinreich, who represents various Israeli companies in Dubai, said.

Pavilions putting final touches

After a year-long postponement from the initial date due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai is all set to welcome the world with a mind-boggling line of events, exhibitions, conferences and culinary experiences.

Under the theme ‘Connecting Minds and Creating the Future’ through three sub-themes of sustainability, mobility and opportunity, Expo 2020 Dubai, that will run from October 1 to March 31, promises to be a once in a lifetime experience. There will be 60 plus daily shows, 191 country pavilions and 200 plus restaurants that visitors can relish.

A satellite image of the Expo 2020 Dubai site that was revealed earlier, shows a stunning ariel view of the sprawling site with Al Wasl Dome and Terra – The Sustainability pavilion visible.

When Khaleej Times visited the site spanning 4.38 square kilometres and located in the Dubai South district last week, the construction of country pavilions was almost complete.

Country representatives said they are currently putting the finishing touches to the exterior and also finishing the exhibition fit-outs and electric work inside the pavilion.

Last week, the media was invited for a preview of the experiences inside the Australian Pavilion, which is ready to welcome visitors. Justin Mc Gowan, Commissioner General of the pavilion said they are excited to welcome visitors and showcase the best of Australia’s ingenuity and history.

Kamal Vaswani, Singapore's Ambassador to the UAE, said the construction of his country pavilion is ready, and they are getting set for the opening ceremony.

“For us it is about the plants. So, a lot of the plants are being put in place now. Orchids will come over the next few weeks. Then things will grow and bloom, and hopefully peak during our Singapore National Day on January 22, 2022,” said Vaswani.

Layered with a showcase of greenery, digital solutions and art, the pavilion exemplifies Singapore's vision of becoming a City in Nature, and the ethos of sustainable development via innovative and impactful urban solutions.

Menachem Gantz, Spokesperson for the Israeli Pavilion said the venue is ready to welcome the world. “We are done with everything, including the electrical and lighting work. We are ready and all set. We are doing some fine-tuning and also doing the test runs for the special immersive show that we are putting together on our 360-degree screen,” said Gantz.

The Israeli Pavilion is inspired by sand dunes that are framed using seven LED screen gates using 630 sqm LED panels, creating a significant open space for people to gather, discuss and share ideas.

anjana@khaleejtimes.com


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