Emotional journey

Inayat-Ur-Rahman, Business Editor

The Swiss pavilion is receiving  visitors from around the world and take them into an emotional journey through Switzerland. The pavilion expects to receive 10% of Expo’s visitors on a daily basis.

The journey starts on the giant red carpet that Switzerland rolled out for this event and takes visitors from traditional Switzerland to the innovative country, ranked for the 11th year in a row, as the world’s most innovative as per the Global Innovation Index (WIPO) in 2021.

Visitors will start their journey through the pavilion in the Sea of Fog, a unique and immersive experience. Emerging from the fog a surprising view of a Swiss mountain panorama is revealed. The journey continues with a Schindler’s exhibition about the future of mobility and ends with the fountains of innovations, highlighting the topnotch Swiss innovations in different fields.

Massimo Baggi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the UAE & Bahrain, said: “Our participation in Expo 2020 Dubai will further strengthen the excellent relationship that Switzerland and the UAE have enjoyed since the 1970s. We are convinced that this global event will be a major success for all participants and commend the UAE for bringing the world together after such a challenging time”.

 In line with Expo’s theme “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future”, the Swiss pavilion in collaboration with Swissnex, the global network connecting Switzerland and the world in education, research, and innovation is organizing 10 thematic weeks, bringing together Swiss experts from different fields to discuss with their counterparts current challenges to find efficient solutions for the future. Temporary exhibitions will also be taking places to highlight the latest Swiss innovations.

Manuel Salchli, Commissioner General of the Swiss Pavilion and Chairman of the Steering Committee at Expo 2020 Dubai said: “We are so proud to see our Swiss Pavilion beautifully coming to life. After years of hard work and preparations, we are excited to welcome the world to discover Switzerland, the nation of innovation, technology, education, sustainability and magical landscapes. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the UAE government and Expo team for the great cooperation and I look forward to celebrate our success together”.

The selected project ‘Reflections’ is produced by Presence Switzerland, the public diplomacy agency of the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and designed in collaboration with the Swiss creative team: OOS AG (architecture, general planning), Bellprat Partner AG (scenography) and Lorenz Eugster Landscaping GmbH (landscape architecture). It is built by ExpoMobilia.

The Swiss Pavilion relies on a public-private partnership model, including partners: Schindler, Rolex SA, Switzerland Tourism, Clariant, Novartis, Nestlé Middle East and North Africa and KGS Diamond Group Ltd – and numerous suppliers.

 Switzerland was the first country to confirm its participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai. The Swiss Pavilion offers a unique encounter with Switzerland. It showcases Switzerland as a country of scenic beauty and a leading hub of technology and innovation by presenting the excellence of Swiss universities, start-ups and companies as well as creating joint events with local partners.

The Swiss Pavilion relies on a public-private partnership model. It promotes Switzerland’s economic capacity and attractiveness to the UAE – the most important trading partner in the Middle East. It turns the spotlight on its high-quality products and services together with its partners Schindler, Rolex SA, Switzerland Tourism, Roche, Clariant, Novartis, Nestlé Middle East and North Africa and KGS Diamond Group Ltd and suppliers.

Presence Switzerland is in charge of the Swiss Pavilion. It is the unit of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for Switzerland’s image abroad and Switzerland’s official presence in international events, such as World Expos.

The selected project ‘Reflections’ was designed by the Swiss project team OOS AG (architecture), Bellprat Partner AG (scenography) and Lorenz Eugster Landscaping GmbH (landscaping) and built by General contractor Expomobilia.

Meanwhile, a ‘digital Einstein’ made by experts at ETH Zurich, has been exhibited at the Swiss Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai to mesmerize thousands of visitors at the mega event. Visitors at the Swiss Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai will have a chance to interact with the ‘young’ Einstein. The great scientist’s ‘twin’ will use the power of AI to talk to the public.

Artificial intelligence and sustainability are key themes for graduates, with some projects due to be showcased in Dubai South.

Visitors at the Swiss Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai have a chance to interact with the ‘young’ Einstein. There may not be enough time to learn about the general Theory of Relativity or how space and time are inextricably connected, but the idea of interacting and bantering with a genius and cultural icon will definitely be worth it. One can also pick a thing or two of his wit and light-hearted humour, while marvelling at his digital ‘hairstyle’!

In 1921, Albert Einstein won a Nobel Prize for his contributions to theoretical physics.

A century on, his work will be commemorated with the interactive animation at the Swiss Pavilion to mark his time at ETH Zurich. “Digital humans like Einstein who can hear, see and interact with the person in front of them are driven by complex algorithmic systems,” said Christian Schuller. He is one of three founders of Animatico, a Swiss tech start-up that has developed the ‘digital twin’ at the university ready for its Expo debut next month.