Expo excitement growing by the day

With almost just a year to go for what’s slated to be the world’s greatest show, Expo 2020 Dubai, exhilaration is growing by the day.

The authorities are leaving no stone unturned to make the event extraordinary, especially since it will be the first to be staged in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, MEASA, in the 168-year history of the event.

Kick-starting the ‘One Year to Go’ countdown to Expo 2020 Dubai will be a live performance in the UAE on Oct.20, 2019, by global superstar, Mariah Carey and acclaimed Emirati artist and Expo 2020 Ambassador, Hussain Al Jassmi.

The entire nation has been invited to join in the free, family-friendly festivities to be held in every emirate from 17:00 to 22:00, topped off with an eye-catching projection on the Burj Khalifa and a countdown moment at 20:20 that will mark the precise time the next World Expo will be launched on Oct.20, 2020.

Carey and Al Jassmi will headline the celebrations at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai, where 7,500 visitors will also witness a special appearance by leading Bollywood actress, Shraddha Kapoor.

Things are shaping up fast with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, announcing recently a new national logo featuring the Ghaf tree, which will be used by government and private entities for campaigns, initiatives and programmes during 2019.

Students in the country have a special reason to look forward to the mega event, as they will be able to explore new worlds of innovation and inspiration. The UAE Ministry of Education and private educational groups in the UAE have signed commitment agreements that place school students at the heart of the next World Expo.

With these commitments, hundreds of thousands of students can experience unforgettable educational and inspirational journeys at Expo 2020 Dubai through more than one million visits.

GEMS Education, Al Mawakeb Schools, Innoventures Education, Emirates National Schools, Taaleem, Al Dar Education, Athena Education & Quality Learning and Nord Anglia International School Dubai have turned out to be the first private educational groups to announce their commitment to supporting Expo 2020 and the Expo School Programme with multiple school visits during the once-in-a-lifetime, six-month celebration.

Interestingly, 80 per cent of the Expo-built structures on site will be retained as part of District 2020, an integrated community that will be a new destination in Dubai.

For the first time, each participating country will have its own pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, giving all nations the opportunity to showcase their achievements, innovations, cultures and long-term visions to the world.

Expo 2020 Dubai will thus be a celebration for all. It will offer an ideal platform for all nations to share their collective visions of the future.

Tremendous efforts are ongoing to make the event a grand success. Thousands of workers are tirelessly working on the site.

Hence, the eyes of the world will be on the UAE from Oct.20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, as the Expo 2020 Dubai will bring together 192 participating countries and millions of visitors from across the globe.

During the peak six-month period of the World Expo, the event is predicted to add the equivalent of 1.5 per cent to UAE Gross Domestic Product.

Dubai is known to have a penchant for Number 1 slot, which means one can certainly expect the event to be the talk of the world.