Expo 2020 Dubai an unprecedented accomplishment, says Sheikh Ahmed

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee; and Chairman of Expo City Dubai Authority has submitted Expo 2020 Dubai’s closing report to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the governing body for all World Expos.

Titled ‘The Expo 2020 Dubai Story’, the report is a complete account of the UAE’s Expo journey and joins the Bid Dossier and Registration Document to complete the trilogy of Expo 2020 Dubai publications officially presented to the BIE.

Sheikh Ahmed  was joined by Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of HH The Ruler’s Court of Dubai, UAE and Vice Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, as well as members of the Expo 2020 Higher Committee, to present the report to the Paris-based BIE. The occasion marks 12 years since Al Shaibani travelled to the BIE headquarters to officially submit the UAE’s intent to host the 2020 World Expo.

From the leadership’s initial vision and the decision to bid to host the event, through to its design, construction and operations, the report details Expo 2020 Dubai’s key highlights and achievements, including overcoming the challenges of the pandemic, as well as the event’s impact, legacy and future as Expo City Dubai. It pays tribute to the countries, international organisations, corporations, academic institutions, civil society bodies, workforce, staff, volunteers, students and children who contributed to what was a flagship national project and a proud milestone in the history of the UAE.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “With the direction and continued support of our wise leadership, Expo 2020 Dubai was an unprecedented accomplishment – a World Expo that will live on in our memories for generations to come. This report is an enduring record of everything we achieved, of how we pledged to make a difference, and how, together, we delivered on that promise. We present it to the BIE with immense pride in our shared success and as a mark of our commitment to build on its spirit and values in our next chapter – Expo City Dubai.”

Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE, said: “From a bold vision, Expo 2020 Dubai came to life through resolute determination and international solidarity, bringing the world together to demonstrate the best of humankind. ‘The Expo 2020 Dubai Story’ conveys this journey for future generations and completes the Expo’s legacy alongside Expo City Dubai and the enduring Expo 2020 spirit that touches all those who were part of this endeavour. If the report teaches us one thing, it is that a better future is achievable when inspired minds cooperate to bring about positive change for everyone, everywhere.”

The 500-page report, produced in English, Arabic and French, will be housed in the prestigious BIE Library in Paris, joining some 5,000 works, dating from 1851 to the present day, that conserve learnings from past exhibitions for the benefit of future generations. It will be a useful reference for future mega-event hosts, in keeping with Expo City Dubai’s aim to share knowledge and experiences around organising, managing and hosting international exhibitions and major events. Digital copies will also be available at www.story.expo2020dubai.com.

Expo 2020 Dubai was widely regarded as a global triumph. The first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, it ran from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 and welcomed 192 nations and 24.1 million visitors in the most significant global gathering since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its legacy city, Expo City Dubai, has been at the core of planning since the very beginning – a blueprint for a clean, green, innovation-driven, human-centric city, founded on the belief that a broad coalition of people, working together, can help create a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Expo City Dubai, the legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai, is based on the belief that a broad coalition of people, working together, can propel human progress to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all

A clean, green, innovation-driven, human-centric city of the future, Expo City Dubai is designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban planning, galvanising action on its journey to carbon neutrality. Packed with educational, cultural and entertainment offerings, Expo City Dubai celebrates human creativity and ingenuity and inspires future generations

It provides a business ecosystem that embraces technology and innovation and supports the UAE’s wider diversification and growth aims

Building on the success of the World Expo, Expo City Dubai is the go-to destination for globally significant events, including COP28