Expo 2020 Dubai crowned past 50 years, signalled promising future

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner-General of Expo 2020 Dubai, has said that Expo 2020 Dubai offered hope to the entire world for a better future, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Sheikh Nahyan stressed that the UAE’s hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai has proven the success of the nation’s journey and approach, supported by the vision of its leadership, adding that the major event attracted the world’s attention to the UAE and the commercial, investment and economic opportunities it offers.

The world spoke the language of humanity in the UAE, a country known for its giving, for six months, and offered hope for a better future, he added, noting that most pavilions will remain standing in the city, and related cultural and academic events will continue.

He also commended the distinguished Emirati model of volunteering at Expo 2020 Dubai, affirming that nearly 33,000 volunteers provided leading services and facilitated the visits of over 24 million guests.

All countries that participated in Expo 2020 Dubai were treated with respect, appreciation and equality, and many celebrated their national days at the event, Sheikh Nahyan said.

The UAE, upon the directives of its wise leadership, believes in possibilities and was established to address challenges and turn them into opportunities, which is the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, he added, stressing that the UAE has successfully overcome the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and organised the most important cultural event in the world.

Speaking about the leading youth empowerment solutions presented by the event, Sheikh Nahyan explained that the youth were the key pillar of Expo 2020 Dubai and a core component of all initiatives, conferences and events held during the event, which represented a platform for the voices of the youth, enabling them to express their views and ambitions and highlight their challenges.

Speaking about the role played by Expo 2020 Dubai in supporting the UAE Vision 2071, by making the country an international hub for attracting ideas and investments, Sheikh Nahyan said the Golden Jubilee’s celebrations at Expo 2020 Dubai site have crowned the past fifty years in the history of the UAE, and signalled a promising future for the next fifty years. He highlighted that the Expo has taught the world about the UAE’s leading role in the areas of international politics, culture, the economy and science.

The Expo has gathered the world in the UAE, and thousands of international leaders visited the event, including kings, heads of states, prime ministers, other ministers and high-level officials, he added, highlighting the many investment and commercial opportunities offered by the UAE.

Sheikh Nahyan also talked about the UAE’s cooperation with Japan in hosting Expo 2025 Osaka, repeating the words of the Japanese pavilion’s commissioner-general, who said Japan’s participation in the event was not only about sharing its culture and traditions, but it was inspired by the organisation of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Sheikh Nahyan stated that the UAE welcomed the world at the Expo, ensuring the rights of people and the community to gather in safety, in line with the highest international precautionary standards, adding that the Expo also offered discussions about the major challenges facing humanity and held many activities that aimed to create solutions to these challenges.

During Expo 2020 Dubai, the world explored the UAE’s distinguished model of tolerance, pluralism and diversity, he added, noting that the event hosted Tolerance Week, which witnessed the launch of numerous initiatives, such as the Global Tolerance Alliance launched during the National Tolerance and Coexistence Festival.

Speaking about the UAE’s message to the world during Expo 2020 Dubai, Sheikh Nahyan pointed out that the event took place amidst dire conditions, giving the world a glimpse of hope about what could be achieved if humanity can cooperate and unify their aims and visions.

Meanwhile, in 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centrepiece of London’s Great Exhibition – the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, ‘Industry of All Nations’, were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organisations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand, and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment.

World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (‘Expos’) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of Expos are organised under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.