The organizers of Dubai Expo 2020 are convinced that visitors will travel and be a part of the event once the pandemic eases in the coming year.
They shared their hopes for the event, which was set to be held in October this year, at the four-day International Participants Meeting (IPM) for Expo that came to a conclusion.
The IPM is an opportunity for members of Expo 2020 Dubai, the United Arab Emirates government and the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to speak with the countries and organizations taking part in Expo 2020 – the largest event to be held in the Arab world.
Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, assured that UAE is completely prepared to give a world class event to its audience whatever the audience size will be.
She said that within the next 13 months before the event, the world will be very different world and that’s why the organizers are expecting nearly 25 million visitors for the Expo.
“What I have witnessed personally, within our own Expo community in an indomitable spirit committed to collaboration,” Ms Al Hashimy stated.
The organizers of the Expo have coordinated with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and reduced the electricity charges for the postponement period, which is until next October. The request from the participants for reduction in event and telecommunication permits have also been granted.
The commissioner general of the UN, Meher Nasser suggested that “as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to ensure that our plans for recovery aim to create a future with stronger safeguards against pandemics, more climate action, less inequality.”
“As the pandemic continues to present new challenges, the next World Expo is a collaborative global initiative. As we say in India, vasudhaiva kutumbakam, which means, ‘the world is one family’. Expo 2020 is a unique opportunity to bring the global family together,” said BB Swain, commissioner general of India at Expo 2020 Dubai.
“Expo 2020 Dubai offers an exceptional opportunity to tell the world about our hopes, dreams and aspirations,” said the commissioner general of Saudi Arabia, Fahad bin Abdullah Yabis.
Representatives from Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, France, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and UN also spoke at the virtual event.
The pavilion construction for the event is expected to be completed by December where more than 190 countries will participate in the Expo in October 2021.
