Malta lights up Expo 2020

Malta celebrated its National Day at Expo 2020 with a varied programme highlighting the country’s rich history and culture. The festivities at the Stage of Nations included performances from a percussion group led by Alex Debono, a contemporary dance trio choreographed by Francesca Abela Tranter, and songs from the Maltese artists Pamela Bezzina and Destiny.

Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, welcomed Silvio Schembri, Minister for the Economy and Industry for the Republic of Malta.

Al Amiri said, “Malta’s pavilion design brings the vibrant Maltese culture to life at Expo 2020, as it showcases the country’s diverse population and economy and the opportunities available in various fields, such as tourism, innovation and technology, thereby attracting foreign direct investments.

“The UAE and Malta have shared a strong bond for many years. We hope that through opportunities fostered at Expo 2020, and Malta’s active engagement, we will witness expanded and enhanced bilateral cooperation in new areas of mutual interest.”

Schembri said,”Malta may be a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean, but we have always sought to maximise our strategic position. Indeed, we have managed to build bridges with our neighbouring countries and beyond, connect with different cultures, embrace diversity, and generate more opportunities.

“Our pavilion serves as a showcase for the close affinity between Malta and the UAE, with whom we share common goals and ground. I am pleased that Expo 2020 Dubai has served as an opportunity to enhance our relationship even further and strengthen our ties in the political, economic and cultural spheres.

We look forward to working together on mutual priorities on a bilateral and multilateral level in 2022 and beyond.”

The Malta Pavilion invites visitors to experience the nation’s essence through a free-flowing journey that touches on the island’s history, culture and shared future. Each stage of the journey further reveals why the Maltese are renowned for their hospitality and friendliness.

National and Honour Days at Expo 2020 Dubai are moments to celebrate each of our 200-plus International Participants, shining a light on their culture and achievements and showcasing their pavilions and programming.

Running until 31st March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai has invited visitors from across the planet to join the making of a new world in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.

Meanwhile, On 31st of January, 2022, Expo 2020 will play host to the official celebration of Israel’s National Day, the pinnacle of Israel’s participation at the mega event.

This is the first time Israel celebrates its EXPO National Day in the GCC region.

Since being invited to participate at Expo 2020, Israel has been forging new relationships with Arab countries across the region and showcasing both its cultural similarities as well as its innovative contributions to global issues such as desertification and climate change.

Multiple first of their kind developments have occurred since the UAE extended the invitation to Israel to participate in Expo 2020 Dubai, like the signing of the Abraham Accord and the visit of the Israeli prime minister to the UAE.

The celebration is set to begin with high-level officials from Israel, arriving and being welcomed, at the Leadership Pavilion, by UAE’s most senior officials. Following this, delegation heads will participate in a ceremony at the Stage of Nations, under the Al Wasl dome.

The celebration will take place at 10:15am marked by the raising of Israel’s flag and national anthem. After the official ceremony, official delegates will tour the pavilions of Israel and the UAE.

Since the signing of the Abraham accord, the UAE and Israel have seen a dramatic increase in trade agreements and MoU signings.

Bilateral trade in goods alone reached nearly $500 million in 2021 — up from $125 million in 2020 — and is expected to continue growing rapidly. More than ten MoUs have been signed across; education, space, energy, technology and construction plus the two countries have signed a visa waiver which led to the increase in visits between the two countries. In 2021, approximately 500,000 Israeli tourists came to the UAE.

Elazar Cohen, Israel Pavilion Commissioner General, said: “Israel’s participation in the Expo is an important part of building the relationship between our two countries.

The Expo is an opportunity for all nationalities to get to know and learn from one another. People often forget there is much more uniting us than dividing us, which is what we want to highlight at the Expo and especially throughout our celebration of Israel’s National Day.

We have a truly inclusive line-up of both business and visitor events throughout the day and we are looking forward to welcoming UAE officials and EXPO visitors on the 31st.”

Aside from the official visit and ceremony, the Israel pavilion is arranging a full day of activities for EXPO2020 Dubai visitors, these will include live performances from various artists such as Anna RF the electronic Ethnic Reggae band, a famous Israeli mentalist and a treasure hunt which will have a trip to Israel as its grand prize. This is not all visitors can experience. They can also join the drum circles at Al Forsan park as well as use the online portal to have real time conversations with people in Tel Aviv.

Designed without walls, for maximum openness, attendees of Expo 2020 and beyond are invited to the Israel pavilion. Israel is a place of innovation, offering a vision and horizon in dealing with the challenges of humanity. The pavilion has an emphasis on challenges such as; agriculture, water, medicine, communications and cyber issues. The pavilion will showcase its open and diverse society that provides equal rights to all its inhabitants, it is a society that respects different people and cultures and is a recognised and respected state among participating nations.