The organizers of Expo 2020 Dubai have said that they are fully committed to the global event, now that it is exactly a year ahead of its opening.
Expo 2020 is the first world exposition in the Middle East region, and was due to be held this month in Dubai. However, it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Expo is now scheduled to be held from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022.
The new images of the expo site, located in the south of Dubai, show pavilions that are near completion, with thoroughfares laid-out, ready to welcome what organizers hope would constitute 25 million visitors across the Expo’s six-month duration.
More than 190 countries would be represented at the Expo, which has the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” and is based on mobility, opportunity and sustainability.
Already, 210 million work hours have been invested in the initiative according to organizers, and efforts are focused on landscaping and completion of Expo-owned buildings. The construction of national pavilions will be done by end of December. The UAE National Pavillion designing has been awarded to Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
Eversince the awarding of the Expo to Dubai in 2013, billions of dollars have been invested into the project to develop the 1000-acre site, for transport infrastructure in the city etc. Dubai plans to re-use 80 percent of the Expo infrastructure through its ambitious schemes, with the site being converted thereafter into a mixed commercial and residential development called ‘District 2020’.
The Sustainability Pavilion is designed by Grimshaw Architects and features ‘energy trees’ that rotate with the sun to capture solar energy.
"We hope that people will join us to achieve our objectives to bring the world together and put humanity and the planet on the right path towards dignity for all," said Reem Al Hashimy, the Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, further saying that more details about the Expo would be revealed in the coming weeks.
