Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Bureau Expo Dubai 2020 said: "We are excited to be bringing the whole world together to experience this incredible mega event. For almost 170 years, World Expos have united people in a spirit of inspiration and excitement for the future, and have amazed them with innovation, culture, art, food and fun.
"Air travel has transformed the ability of people to experience everything that the world has to offer. Expo 2020, and Emirates as our official airline partner will be bringing all of that together in one place, Dubai, in 2020. And the Emirates Pavilion will tell the incredible story of the role that air travel will continue to play in transforming mobility and shaping our futures."
Taking place from 20 October 2020 to April 10 2021 – and coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the UAE in December 2020 – the event is the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East.
Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai, which is themed Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, will find an array of unique experiences at 192 country pavilions, each with architectural design, and entertainment programmes which include 60 live show's every day.
Along with parades, music, talks and more, food lovers will be able to sample cuisines from every corner of the globe. These include over 200 dining experiences from casual food truck concepts to Michelin-star fine dining.
Guided by the three sub-themes of Expo 2020 Dubai: mobility, opportunity and sustainability, the Emirates Pavilion is designed to reflect the lines of aircraft wings ready to take flight. The 26 slanted architectural fins that cover the entirety of the pavilion will hold over 800 metres of LED lights to create multi-sensory effects and movement across the structure, showcased by light shows during every night of the Expo.
Within the Emirates Pavilion, experiential content will take centre stage, encouraging visitors to explore what commercial aviation might look like in the future. Attendees will develop their understanding of the science behind flight, examine advances in propulsion and cabin design, configure their ideal aircraft of the future and get hands-on with the advanced materials that could become the building blocks of tomorrow’s aircraft.
Construction began on the Emirates Pavilion in March this year, and the completed structure will have the capacity to welcome more than 56,000 visitors per month during the Expo.
Connecting visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai
Located in the Dubai South region 54km from Dubai International Airport (DBX), Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to attract 25 million visits over the event’s six-month duration, with 70% of visitors travelling into the country through air links from other countries.
Emirates’ network of 158 destinations in 86 countries will help facilitate that mobility and support the Expo, which includes direct flights to 67 countries participating in the event.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum adds: "Emirates and the wider transportation ecosystem here in the UAE will play a key role in providing connectivity for a successful Expo 2020. The economic impact of the transport, hospitality and tourism sector will contribute AED 16.4bn to the UAE economy, underscoring the vital role these industries play in generating economic value by bringing people together and breaking down barriers."
