World Expos have become a key meeting point for various countries around the world. Home to many innovations in terms of technology, environment, and various social issues; many view the World Expo as the cornerstone of global development. Further, every five years, these Expos attract millions of people across the world both as visitors and as participants; that offer creative solutions to the world’s problems. But the World Expo is much more than just the tech seminars and the cultural showcases. It is a summit that brings people together from all walks of life to find solutions to problems that affect the world. And with the next expo 2020 location being Dubai, here is a look into the road to expo 2020 event.
History of the World Expo
First of all, world expo is one of the oldest international traditions to date. The first world Expo started back in 1889 in Paris. The exhibition showed some of the modern inventions of the time and was considered a massive hit among people. After that, France soon created the Bureau International des Expositions or BIE. This Bureau was responsible for all future interpretations of the World Expo and other major international expos.
The BIE is responsible for over a hundred different expos around the world. These expos have acted as the cornerstone of innovation and technology of its time. Of course, the Expos also lead to the creation of the various parks at the location of the expo; e.g., expos such as Montreal 67, Vancouver 86, and the shanghai expo 2010.
Expo 2020: Dubai Getting Selected
Of course, the World Expo events are a great way of showcasing talent among the local community and bringing in a lot of investors. As a result, as you can imagine, it was not easy for Dubai to get selected for Expo 2020. The other finalists for the vote were Sao Paulo, Izmir, Yekaterinburg, and of course Dubai. Dubai put forward the most exciting theme of connecting minds, changing futures, that they won the vote.
Most importantly, it is one of the first Expos to happen in the Middle East; and is an excellent platform for the people of the UAE to show off their innovative skills.
Expo 2020 Preparations
With the World Expo 2020 coming to Dubai; the United Arab Emirates are going all out in preparation for the event. Since the expo will last for a full six months; there is a lot that the Arabic prince has to prepare for his international guests. The director-general for the Dubai Expo 2020 bureau, Reem Al Hashimy, has been making the rounds around the country to meet with directors and CEOs of local companies.
After getting elected in 2013 for hosting the world expo; the UAE has been working tirelessly to set up the best world Expo ever. With the expo 2020 expected visitors toppling over 20 million; it is the first expo in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region. Expectations for the event are high, and preparations being made are sure to exceed them.
The preparations are coming together so well; the bureau reports that the venue will be ready a month before the event. The bureau also started a variety of initiatives to promote the event and increase participation in the event. Here are some of the events that are taking place in the run-up of the original Expo 2020 event.
Expo Live
Expo Live is probably the real meat and bones of the entire event itself. Firstly, it is an innovation and partnership program fund and accelerates new innovative technology and creative solutions; that preserve the planet. Secondly, Expo live helps in gathering people from different countries and communities; and shows how working together can improve standards of living.
In essence, it is a fundraiser, which will help the Expo 2020 event give out a variety of grants, challenge prizes, and even seminars. At the same time, all of these events are focused on giving the innovators to share their technology with the world. Likewise, the factors of Expo live being opportunity, mobility, and sustainability is the driving forces for the event.
Surely, Expo Live is showing people that progress comes through inclusion. Also, according to reports, this fundraiser has garnered somewhere over USD 100 million. As a result, it makes it an incredibly successful fundraising initiative.
Expo 2020: Global Best Practice Program
Not to mention, the global practice program is the second biggest initiative for Expo 2020. After all, the global Best practice program is an invitation for Expo 2020 volunteers to come and seize their moment. As a result, it calls for projects and highlights for the six month run of the Expo. Meanwhile, the projects, offered by talented individuals, will be given prices and even monetary benefits as well as a chance to work with a major company to change the world.
The program, dubbed the “Small Steps Big Leaps: Solutions for Sustainable Impact,” helps in recognizing talent locally. It is also looking for projects that someone may be working on to help with the sustainable development goals of the country and the world. This initiative will help bring in the expected 200 volunteers and participants for the event.
Expo 2020: Expo School Program
The expo school program is also one of the most inclusive initiatives running up to the Expo 2020 event. Also, the school program sees to bring schools from different parts of the country to the fantastic expo 2020 event. Further, it brings in a variety of centres and areas where students can interact with the projects as well as other fun and interactive activities.
The focus of this program is to ignite a passion for technology and innovation among the youth. And it does this by keeping them engaged with various rooms and centres with hands-on experience with technology.
Expo 2020: The World Majlis
The World Majlis is a series of debates that will go on until the start of the event. The purpose of the debates is to start a conversation about sustainable energy alternatives that are also great for the environment. The participants in the debates and discussions are government officials, professional speakers, academic counsellors, thought leaders from various cultural backgrounds.
The Debates do a great job of showing the different sides of the conversation as well as different perspectives. With so many people participating in the debates; World Expo 2020 is bringing new eyes and ears onto the discussion about safe innovation.
The Expo 2020 Theme
The Expo 2020 theme is “Connecting minds, creating the future”. The theme explains perfectly what the entire event is about and what it represents. Expo 2020 platform will give a space for people to express their innovative ideas about the future freely.
The key three sub-themes are sustainability, mobility, and opportunity; all things that the Expo 2020 is providing. It will provide a platform for talented individuals to show off their skills and innovative technology. The monetary benefits and partnerships are just the icing on the cake to further inspire the youth to pursue their aspirations.
The Expo 2020, if anything, is the catalyst that is enabling millions of individuals around the world to make the world a better place. It is also the centre for technological advancement and information where people can learn more about technology around the world. Expo 2020 also strives to educate the people that will attend this great expo starting from the 20th of October 2020, until the 10th of April 2021.
The Widespread Marketing and Appeal
This particular World Expo is incredibly exclusive for the organizers and the people visiting; as it will be the biggest in history. And the marketing has been exponential. The theme of connecting minds and creating the future makes this expo mainly about change and finding solutions to existing problems. This theme alone has garnered quite the following from people and has gathered a lot of positivity.
Their marketing campaign has also been very successful in pushing its motto across to people. Other than the usual paid promotional material like ads and posters; the bureau has gone the extra mile with amazing videos on their YouTube page. From regular TV commercials to informative videos explaining the ambition and passion behind the project; these videos capture the essence of this Expo 2020.
Some of their videos also give a tour of the complex and how it will turn out. This gives people a better understanding of the event and makes people a lot more anticipated for the event. Their Twitter has also been very active; allowing people to ask any question that may have about the event and its organizing team. Speaking of the organizing team, let’s take a look at the organizing team behind this massive event.
Organizing the Event
The Expo 2020 will be the biggest world Expos in history. The Expo 2020 building will be around 438 hectares large or 1083 acres in area. And it will be in between both Dubai and Abu Dhabi (the capital of the UAE). The master plan for the entire event was designed by an American firm HOK and is right between a central plaza called Al Wasl.
The building will be immense and extravagant and will have three different sections. Each of these sections is dedicated to the three sub-themes of the event, opportunity, mobility, and sustainability. The expo 2020 event will also be the platform for Dubai to show off a variety of other projects that are currently in development.
Dubai has been making major investments in the real estate market as well as public relations and economic growth. Reports say that the Expo Bureau is planning to show off Dubai’s newest solar power project and the Dubai happiness agenda. The solar power project is one of the biggest in the entire middle east; the happiness agenda are 82 projects to make the city happiest.
The international monetary fund also reported that Dubai would see a rise in its GDP. This is no surprise, seeing how the Expo 2020 will also showcase why Dubai is an excellent place for investment and investors.
Current Expo Site
The Expo site is making great progress as it slowly approaches the five-year deadline in 2020. The site is almost 80% complete, and the Bureau has also invited residents of the UAE to visit the site. The visitors are picked inn bright and colourful busses and taken to the site where they see select areas of the Expo.
Not only is the site almost ready, but it is very well equipped with first aid facilities. Some of the on-scene emergency care services include an emergency room, an isolation room, helicopter, and ambulances in the case of an unlikely event. The vice president of health and safety rob cooling commented on the facilities available at Expo 2020 and said that they were more than adequate to handle an emergency.
Most of the expo sites are just temporary, buildings made to handle the fair, and that’s all. Dubai is going the extra mile and creating a permanent building for this cornerstone of human innovation and technology. This goes to show the amount of dedication and passion going into the expo 2020.
Culture and Cuisine
Another major selling point of the Expo 2020 is the immense variety present inside the event. The event will have a showcase for a variety of cultures, as visitors will be able to experience many different cultures. They will also be able to experience diverse cuisine from all over the world. The Expo 2020 has over 200 participants coming from 192 countries, making it one of the biggest Expos in history.
There will also be live entertainment throughout the Expo and will also live performances, and art showcases. But most importantly, Expo 2020 will serve as a learning ground for the youth to learn more about the world and its cultures. UAE has one of the largest populations of youth; and presents its inhabitants a great chance to learn more about different cultures and communities.
The location of the Expo 2020 is also strategically close to a wide assortment of hotels that provide excellent accommodation. Some of the Expo 2020 hotels include Premier Inn Dubai, Fortune park hotel, and Maisan hotel. All of these hotels provide world-class service and make excellent accommodations for your stay in Dubai while you visit the Expo 2020.
Let’s Wrap up
Every five years, the world expo takes place in a different country looking to show off it’s unique cultural and technological style. The world Expo brings some of the world’s best performers, innovators, revolutionaries, and tech geniuses together to make a difference in the world. And Expo 2020 will ensure that you can see it, as it will stay open for about six months.
Expo 2020 is one of the best events to take place in a bustling tourist attraction like Dubai. With a variety of cultures, cuisine, and communities, Expo 2020 will also be the most diverse expo in history. The road to Expo 2020 has been tough; there have been many perils along the way, but the management bureau has managed to stay on top of its game. As the deadline comes closer, it becomes more evident that Dubai is more than ready to host what is going to be the biggest expo in history.
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