Expo 2020 Dubai tops 8 million visitors

Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

Visits to Expo 2020 Dubai continue to climb substantially, increasing to 8,067,012 (8.06 million)  in the period up to Monday as the most significant global gathering of 2021 continues to welcome visitors safely and responsibly.

Expo’s stringent COVID-19 safety measures are designed to protect everyone on site, and include mandatory mask-wearing - indoors and outdoors - for visitors, as well as all staff and participants. Venues may also close temporarily for deep cleaning and sanitisation in response to positive cases detected by extensive workforce testing protocols, as well as for maintenance, private events and staff shortages.

During the past week, Expo 2020 celebrated Christmas with a series of special events, with thousands of visitors safely enjoying the festivities, with many taking advantage of the Dhs 95 festive pass valid until the end of December.

Visitors and performers have shown collective responsibility in the face of heightened health concerns. Academy and Grammy award-winning composer A.R. Rahman, during a special concert on 22 December, thanked audiences for being responsible and encouraged everyone to wear masks - a message echoed on Christmas Day by award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga and internationally acclaimed singer and pianist Joe Stilgoe.

On  Dec.24, The Holy See held a prayer service for humanity, award-winning Lebanese singer Tania Kassis and the Festival Chorus performed a special carol service, while the UK’s most successful gospel choir group, the London Community Gospel Choir and American soul artist Naia Izumi delighted audiences.

The next seven days promise another host of events to dazzle, entertain and educate, with a special focus on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Helping visitors ring in 2022 will be two of the world’s biggest DJs - Dimitri Vegas, who will perform at Jubilee Park from 2330 GST, and Armin Van Buuren, the ultra-famous producer of electronic music, who will be in action from 0130 GST.

New Year’s Eve will also see numerous Arab, Filipino and Indian DJs performing sets, and there will be a midnight ‘ball drop’ moment at Al Wasl Plaza, as well as two separate fireworks displays at midnight and 0300 GST.

Dubai Metro will run continuously throughout New Year’s Eve, ensuring every visitor to Expo 2020 can enjoy the world-class experiences on offer and get home safely.

Expo 2020’s virtual visitation rose to 37 million up to 27 December, with more than three million children around the world enjoying the Virtual School Animation Series - now available in six languages - in the last 20 days alone.

The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone continue to be of the highest priority and organisers remain committed to working with participants to welcome visitors to a safe and exceptional Expo.

Expo 2020 Dubai runs until 31 March 2022, inviting the world to join a global celebration that will help to shape a better, brighter future for everyone.

Nestlé is partnering with the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, where it’s hosting a contactless and immersive “Together for Good” exhibit from December 14 to January 16. Along with an accompanying website, it displays key Nestlé commitments to society, encourages people to join in taking action, and offers the chance to win a prize of a five-night/six-day all inclusive trip for two to Switzerland, the company’s home country.

“All we do at Nestlé aims to live up to our purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come,” said Remy Ejel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé Middle East & North Africa. “Through our Together for Good initiative, we hope to inspire more people to get involved in making a difference - as everyone has a role to play in creating a positive impact on our communities and on the planet.”

The exhibit provides visitors with a multisensory experience that showcases core Nestlé efforts to Raise Healthier Kids, Empower Youth, Protect the Environment, Care for Water, and Advance Regeneration - as the company has made a sustainability promise to advance regenerative food systems at scale : to help protect, renew, and restore the environment; improve farmers’ livelihoods; and enhance the well-being of communities.

“Nestlé recently supported our initiative for youth empowerment and circular economy, and we are pleased to host the company’s immersive and engaging “Together for Good” exhibition in our pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai,” said Manuel Salchli, Swiss Pavilion Commissioner General. “Through our partners’ exhibitions, we aim to build trust in Swiss innovations and inspire people.” Visitors are offered a gamified experience that prompts them to jump, clap, swing, pick up, or stir to be a Force for Good together. Participation numbers are tallied to support the planting in the United Arab Emirates of 5,000 Mangrove trees, which sequester Carbon Dioxide - rendering them important in the fight against climate change.

Everyone is invited to engage on the nestletogetherforgood.com website, through Nestlé social media platforms on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and by linking posts to the #NestléTogetherForGood hashtag.

Cyprus: Expo 2020 Dubai represents a unique opportunity for Cyprus to build on an already strong strategic relationship with the UAE, establish close channels of communication and further expand collaboration in key areas, said the country’s commissioner-general, Dr Stelios Himonas.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Himonas hailed the UAE’s tremendous effort in hosting a unique and successful Expo, especially amidst a global pandemic.

“Expo 2020 Dubai provides a unique platform to connect, co-create and craft a coordinated, targeted and efficient response to the numerous challenges lying ahead, shaping a prosperous future for all,” he said.

He also praised the efforts being made in bringing together the world in one place for the first time since the start of the pandemic, and having created an ambitious agenda that includes bespoke discussions with policy-makers and industry representatives from all over the world, saying that the event helps promote innovative solutions and collective global action in the face of many challenges, such as climate change, health and digitisation.

“An impressive city has been built from scratch, with the contribution of all participants of course, while a comprehensive, highly interesting agenda with so many different kinds of events has been created,” he said, adding that Cyprus is part of these discussions, with high level representation, and we are fully committed to sharing our experiences and exploring opportunities for synergies, to the benefit of all parties,” he added.

Located in the Opportunity District, Cyprus Pavilion is designed around the theme of “Cyprus: the place where you want to be”, that encapsulates one of the most prominent characteristics and strengths of the country - its location.

“All exhibition content revolves around the idea of Cyprus being a truly global crossroads, which enabled a constant influx as well as outflow of people, ideas and goods throughout the years, forming a multicultural, warm and open society, ready to host the world,” Himonas said. “Through our participation in Expo, we want people to get to know Cyprus, and what it can offer in terms of doing business and living on the island. We showcase aspects such as education, arts and culture, gastronomy and tourism, business and investment, focusing on diverse, memorable experiences rather than facts.”

The Cyprus Pavilion takes its visitors through a journey that starts back in the day of its creation based on the myth of Aphrodite, all the way to today and the endless opportunities available on the island. It is the story of Cyprus as told by the island itself, allowing the audience the opportunity to see, hear and learn about its history, culture, present and future.

The key highlight of the Pavilion is the use of Augmented Reality to experience and see the story of Cyprus through video content. Visitors are greeted by a hologram of Aphrodite and are asked to download a specific app (PixZar app) which they can find on roll up banners at the entrance, which they will use to scan various triggers and enjoy videos of each theme section. Throughout the Pavilion, there are display units of holographic content. Towards the back of the Pavilion, visitors will have the opportunity to truly experience Cyprus in an interactive way using VR goggles.

“The world needs communication, collaboration and progress. Growth cannot be achieved without joining forces. We were very happy to see that the UAE is steadfast in its preparations to be able to host not only a successful, but a safe World Expo in Dubai, draw international visitors and high-level delegations, and particularly while COVID-19 continues to present worldwide uncertainty. This is our chance to reconnect,” he concluded.