Jeddah (UNA-OIC) – Expo 2020 Dubai has seen more than 5 million visits since its launch last October, setting a record for visits, despite the great challenges posed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in many parts of the world.
The exhibition is organized with the participation of more than 190 countries around a central venue, called Al Wasl Plaza, enclosed by three large thematic districts. Each one is dedicated to one of the sub-themes of Expo 2020: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, in order to shape the future of the world through a cultural and creative dialogue aimed at providing solutions, innovations and ideas.
Expo is expected to be the world’s biggest in-person event in the region, with an estimated 25 million people anticipated to visit before it over a six-month period.
According to the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), Expo 2020 Dubai has seen a staggering 5,663,960 visits up to December 5, since it first opened on 1 October 2021, during which visitors enjoyed many cultural, entertainment and sports performances, most notably the UAE’s 50th National Day celebrations.
During last October and November, a total of 5,383 government leaders, including ministers, presidents, prime ministers, and heads of state, have graced the Expo site to speak at official events or celebrate their nation’s Expo National Day, with Expo hosting a total of 10,461 events in just the first two months.
UAE Minister for International Cooperation and Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai Reem Al Hashimy said: “We are delighted with the figures, and that so many people chose to celebrate such a momentous occasion, the UAE’s 50th National Day, with us here at Expo 2020 Dubai. Two months in, these numbers are a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in Expo, from the hosting of spectacular events that make people want to visit again and again, to the bringing together of global changemakers on a powerful platform for action and collaboration, and, crucially, to our robust COVID-19 measures, which allow us to accommodate such large numbers in a safe, reassuring manner.”
Since its inception, the exhibition has become a hub for initiatives and the promotion of international cooperation in addressing pressing global issues such as economic development, women’s economic empowerment, climate change, as well as strengthening coexistence and understanding among cultures and religions.
In this regard, Expo 2020 Dubai hosted a large number of international multilateral conferences, including Sixth Global Business Forum (GBF) Africa 2021, held on October 13-14, to discuss the future of the global economy and ways to find new mechanisms that provide a flexible economic environment in light of the world’s rapid changes.
In the same month, the expo witnessed the holding of a high-level global dialogue on women’s employment in the 21st century and best practices in the field of public policies that would accelerate women’s empowerment, with the participation of international leaders in the areas of politics, business and society.
Expo 2020 dedicated a special week to climate issues, in order to promote joint action among all participating countries to better manage climate change, protect biodiversity, and integrate environmental sustainability into various aspects of life.
The activities of the 8th Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies kicked off on Sunday, 5 December 2021, at Al Wasl Plaza in Expo 2020 Dubai, under the theme “Inclusive Citizenship: From Mutual Coexistence to Shared Conscience”, with the participation of government representatives, prominent religious leaders and hundreds of academics and clerics of different faiths and sects.
The forum seeks to deepen research on the concept of comprehensive citizenship in the post-coronavirus world, addressing, in particular, the potential and challenges of diversity and pluralism and investing them in supporting social peace and stimulating sustainable development.
In support of innovation, the exhibition launched its global partnership and innovation program “Expo Live”, which has benefited about 6 million people, including farmers, traders, students, teachers, doctors, patients and people of determination, through the social innovators’ projects that are supported by the program.
Through its various pavilions, Expo 2020 Dubai presents at a single venue the culture and civilization of 192 countries, as all participating countries are keen to highlight their history as well as their best scientific, technological and cultural products, allowing visitors to view multiple cultures and a wide diversity.
