DUBAI: Millions of people will begin gathering in Dubai this week as the Covid-delayed Expo 2020, the world’s biggest event since the pandemic, finally unveiled its gleaming pavilions in the desert.
The expo site in the dusty Dubai suburbs has been strictly off-limits during its year-long postponement, but an opening ceremony on Thursday will be attended by Emirati royalty.
A long list of architectural marvels and technological innovations will showcase the ingenuity of more than 190 countries among the exhibits, or pavilions.
The first World’s Fair was held in London in 1851, when it was housed in the purpose-built Crystal Palace, and it featured. Eiffel Tower – as a temporary attraction – in Paris in 1889.
Dubai’s edition, a first in the Middle East, is expected to be the largest event ever held in the region, with an estimated 25 million visitors over a six-month lifetime.
The next biggest event held in the world during the pandemic was the Tokyo Olympics, where strict virus rules banned spectators from almost all venues.
The impact of the pandemic on Expo 2020 will be indelible, however, masks and social distancing will be mandatory on site. Visitors will need to be vaccinated or a negative PCR test to enter.
The United Arab Emirates, a population of 10 million, has reported rapidly declining coronavirus cases in recent weeks, falling below 300 on Sunday – less than half of a fortnight ago.
Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is generally enthusiastic about the fair, promising “the most extraordinary expo in the event’s history”.
According to official media, “The brightest citizens of our country were able to turn this vision into a comprehensive plan for success, sending a message to the world that our commitment to excellence will make us an important contributor to shaping the future of the world.” Is.”
The fair is another achievement for Dubai, which has long been striving for recognition with achievements such as Burj KhalifaThe tallest building in the world at 828 meters (2,717 ft).
United Arab Emirates The media highlighted a report by a travel company that named the building as the world’s most-searched landmark, with The National wondering: “Has Expo 2020 replaced Burj Khalifa as the new Eiffel Tower?”
“The core of the World Expo has always been the spirit of global spectacle, and the UAE’s built environment is well placed to deliver just that,” said an opinion piece in the newspaper.
The postponement has worked well for the United Arab Emirates, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding on 2 December.
Workers were finalizing the infrastructure and facilities on site this week as the start of the clock was delayed.
A succession of politicians, business leaders, celebrities and sports people are expected at the expo, whose diverse attractions include the Harlem Globetrotters and a Chinese robot panda.
A full-scale Hyperloop cabin, touted as the future of long-distance travel and transportation, is one of the exhibits, while Egypt imported an ancient coffin from the Pharaonic days.
China has one of the largest pavilions – an LED-lit, lamp-shaped construction – while Morocco is built from traditional clay-making methods.
The Dutch have a pyramid covered with edible plants and irrigated with solar-generated rainwater.
The key themes of the expo are opportunity, mobility and sustainability, and the site is centered on the grand Al Wasl (“The Connection”) plaza, which will be illuminated by 360-degree projections on its massive dome.
The fair ground will be opened for the general public on Friday.
The expo site in the dusty Dubai suburbs has been strictly off-limits during its year-long postponement, but an opening ceremony on Thursday will be attended by Emirati royalty.
A long list of architectural marvels and technological innovations will showcase the ingenuity of more than 190 countries among the exhibits, or pavilions.
The first World’s Fair was held in London in 1851, when it was housed in the purpose-built Crystal Palace, and it featured. Eiffel Tower – as a temporary attraction – in Paris in 1889.
Dubai’s edition, a first in the Middle East, is expected to be the largest event ever held in the region, with an estimated 25 million visitors over a six-month lifetime.
The next biggest event held in the world during the pandemic was the Tokyo Olympics, where strict virus rules banned spectators from almost all venues.
The impact of the pandemic on Expo 2020 will be indelible, however, masks and social distancing will be mandatory on site. Visitors will need to be vaccinated or a negative PCR test to enter.
The United Arab Emirates, a population of 10 million, has reported rapidly declining coronavirus cases in recent weeks, falling below 300 on Sunday – less than half of a fortnight ago.
Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is generally enthusiastic about the fair, promising “the most extraordinary expo in the event’s history”.
According to official media, “The brightest citizens of our country were able to turn this vision into a comprehensive plan for success, sending a message to the world that our commitment to excellence will make us an important contributor to shaping the future of the world.” Is.”
The fair is another achievement for Dubai, which has long been striving for recognition with achievements such as Burj KhalifaThe tallest building in the world at 828 meters (2,717 ft).
United Arab Emirates The media highlighted a report by a travel company that named the building as the world’s most-searched landmark, with The National wondering: “Has Expo 2020 replaced Burj Khalifa as the new Eiffel Tower?”
“The core of the World Expo has always been the spirit of global spectacle, and the UAE’s built environment is well placed to deliver just that,” said an opinion piece in the newspaper.
The postponement has worked well for the United Arab Emirates, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding on 2 December.
Workers were finalizing the infrastructure and facilities on site this week as the start of the clock was delayed.
A succession of politicians, business leaders, celebrities and sports people are expected at the expo, whose diverse attractions include the Harlem Globetrotters and a Chinese robot panda.
A full-scale Hyperloop cabin, touted as the future of long-distance travel and transportation, is one of the exhibits, while Egypt imported an ancient coffin from the Pharaonic days.
China has one of the largest pavilions – an LED-lit, lamp-shaped construction – while Morocco is built from traditional clay-making methods.
The Dutch have a pyramid covered with edible plants and irrigated with solar-generated rainwater.
The key themes of the expo are opportunity, mobility and sustainability, and the site is centered on the grand Al Wasl (“The Connection”) plaza, which will be illuminated by 360-degree projections on its massive dome.
The fair ground will be opened for the general public on Friday.
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