Shaping a bright future

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Thursday visited the pavilions of Morocco and the United Kingdom at Expo 2020 Dubai, as part of a series of visits to country pavilions at the mega global event.

Speaking during the visit, His Highness stressed that new ideas and a vision for the future are critical to shape a bright, prosperous and dynamic future for the world. With its capabilities in various sectors, the UAE seeks to support the development of promising ideas that have the potential to change people’s lives for the better.

Sheikh Mohammed began his visit today with a stop at the Moroccan pavilion located in the Opportunity District. Under the theme, ‘Legacies for the Future - From Inspiring Origins… to Sustainable Progress’, the Moroccan Pavilion invites visitors to discover the country and its history, identity, achievements and vision for the future. His Highness was introduced to the Pavilion’s immersive experience that showcases the country’s modernity and tradition. One of the highlights of the experience is a fascinating insight into Morocco’s commitment to sustainability. The design of the Pavilion is inspired by ancestral methods of using earth, typical of many traditional Moroccan villages.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, accompanied by Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, also visited the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai located in the Opportunity District.

Under the theme ‘Innovating for a Shared Future’, the UK Pavilion showcases the UK’s contributions in technology, creativity and innovation to develop future sustainable solutions. A visionary wedge-shaped structure, the Pavilion also showcases the United Kingdom’s contributions to space science and artificial intelligence (AI). A specially trained AI algorithm processes entries creating unique poems for each visitor that are beamed out via the pavilion’s dazzling LED façade, sending an inspiring collective message.

‘Xinjiang Day’: Themed by ‘Xinjiang Is a Wonderful Land—Technology, Innovation and Development’, the ‘Xinjiang Day’ event of Expo 2020 Dubai officially opened on November 11, 2021. With its main venue in Urumqi, the event was broadcasted live to global audience, by adopting online and offline means including video link to Dubai. It launched a total of five activities, including the opening ceremony integrating online and offline sections, online tour to the pavilions, enterprises’ contract signing, promotion presentations and exhibitions. The event was attended and addressed by a number of Chinese and UAE high-ranking officials and representatives either online or offline, including Chen Weijun, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee and Executive Vice Governor of the region; Ni Jian, Chinese Ambassador to the UAE; Ali Zahiri, Ambassador of the UAE to China; Chen Jian’an, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT); Zhong Bo, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC); and Najib Ali, Executive Director of the Bureau of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Xinjiang’s executive vice governor Chen Weijun said that with the theme of “Building a Community with Shared Future for Mankind—Innovation and opportunities”.

In his message for the China Pavilion, President Xi Jinping called on “the people of all countries to work together, respond to the call of the times, strengthen global governance and pursue innovation-driven development, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

For thousands of years, the spirit of peaceful cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefits embodied by the Silk Road has been passed down from generation to generation. Xinjiang is the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt. It is an essential part of the “Eurasian Continental Bridge”, and a crucial conduit for economic and cultural exchanges between the east and the west. As a major window for China’s westward opening up, Xinjiang plays a key role in advancing the BRI development.

The Xinjiang Day event was not only a window to know about Xinjiang, but also a sincere invitation from Xinjiang. He hoped that friends from home and abroad could come to and have a look around this beautiful region to better understand Xinjiang and China, feel the hospitality of the local people, appreciate the magnificent natural scenery and splendid history and culture of the region, and listen to the vivid stories happening there. The region sincerely welcomes people of insight from all circles to come for investment and business development, provide fresh ideas and inject new impetus into the development of an even better Xinjiang, contribute to promoting friendly exchanges between the two sides and write a new chapter of win-win cooperation.

UAE ambassador Ali Zahiri said that he had the chance to visit Xinjiang last autumn. “The experience imparted me with wonderful memories and a deeper appreciation for the breadth of China’s cultural diversity. The region is also rich in natural resources and energy sources and is distinguished by its proximity to the Gulf region,” he said, adding that he had full confidence in Xinjiang’s future development, and Expo 2020 Dubai would provide more opportunities for promoting inter-regional exchanges.

More than 200 business representatives participated in the event online or offline, including those from 16 countries and regions, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Iran, South Korea, the UK, the US, Australia, Austria, Germany, Poland, the UAE and China’s Hong Kong, as well as delegates of relevant Chinese provincial and municipal business associations, Xinjiang’s governmental departments and the business community. More than 6.5 million people watched the live broadcast of the event online.

Trillion-dollar vision: The Indian state of Maharashtra will showcase its trillion-dollar economic vision and business attractiveness along with its cultural heritage when it launches its presence in the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai from today.

Maharashtra’s two-week participation (Nov 19 – Dec 2) will start with the inauguration of the state’s pavilion by Shri Subhash Desai, Minister of Industries, Gov. of Maharashtra, who will be joined by Smt. Aditi Tatkare, Minister of State for Industries and Tourism and Dr Anbalagan CEO, MIDC and Nodal Officer, Dubai Expo, and others.

Several investor meetings to encourage investment opportunities in the state and efforts to open a channel of collaboration with global investors will form the core of the state government’s outreach as it exhibits opportunities in key sectors such as Film & Entertainment, Textiles, Environment & Energy, Agriculture, Culture & Tourism, Infrastructure among others to push its core vision of achieving a trillion-dollar economy.

The state will also sign some key investment initiatives as well as Bi-lateral agreements of economic cooperation with strategic investment and country partners. More than 15 departments of the state government will be participating to showcase their achievement and vision for the state.

Besides showcasing the business attractiveness, the state will also exhibit some of its key urban development initiatives such as AURIC (Aurangabad Industrial City), the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Coastal Road Initiative, the Trans Harbor Link, and the Samruddhi Corridor, among others.

The state has divided its participation into 12 sub-themes aligning with the broader themes of the Expo – Businesses of the Future, Visioning Mumbai in 2025, Resource Security, Magnetic Maharashtra, building pathways to prosperity, Hyper Mobility, Connecting India & the World, Fashion Forward, Future Workforce, Resiliency and Climate Change, Stronger Together and Bollywood & Beyond.