Estonia portrays digital society combined with a love of nature

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

At the heart of Estonia’s bright, flag-blue pavilion just off the main Al Wasl Plaza the pavilion displays the story of how the country has become the most digitally advanced nation in the world.

“I am very happy that Estonia is participating in the world’s greatest show with the largest business delegation ever, giving a boost to our companies and prepared to expand into new markets. Estonia’s 40+ companies and organisations will offer world’s class digital, smart and sustainable solutions in a bid for new partners around the globe,” said Commissioner General Daniel Schaer while talking to Gulf Today.

Estonians live in an environmentally friendly digital realm, so smart and sustainable are also keywords in the exhibition. e-Estonia pavilion portrays how Estonia’s digital society is carefully combined with a love of nature. “All our partners advocate a sustainable lifestyle, the importance of the environment to what we wear and eat. We show every visitor the inescapable tomorrow that Estonia occupies today,” explains Schaer.

Estonia has experienced the transformative power of digital development over the last 30 years since restoring its independence in 1991. The country has shared the benefits of an e-society and lessons learned with many others around the world. Digitalisation has served as an equaliser within the country as well as in international competition as it makes countries more efficient.

“EXPO 2020 Dubai offers a global platform to showcase Estonia’s digital story and present the different companies and organisations that have helped build and continue to develop it,” he adds.

 Just as the Estonian digital society was born and continues to evolve in a public/private partnership, Estonia’s presence at EXPO is driven by a similar approach. In Estonia, tech companies are used to getting things done quickly, implementing digital solutions at home and then exporting the knowledge all over the world. This is on display at EXPO. Due to the vision of the organisers, the direction of EXPO itself has changed and returned to philosophic roots in which innovation, technology and business connections come first.

On top of the pavilion displays and events, Estonia is adding a digital layer of activities to the EXPO theme weeks on all topics ranging from space to health and water management. There is hardly an aspect of life today that is not touched by digital development.

As of first in Europe in the OECD PISA test, the same tests have shown that Estonia has been successful in increasing equity in education – here, everyone has the access to high-quality education.