The world’s biggest event since the pandemic, Expo 2020 finally unveils due to which millions of people will begin converging to Dubai.
During the year-long hiatus, the Expo site in the dusty Dubai outskirts has been completely off-limits, but the veil will be lifted on Thursday (30th September) during an opening ceremony attended by the Emirati aristocracy.
A long list of technological innovations will be featured in the exhibit which will be showing the ingenuity of more than 190 countries.
The first world fair was held in London in 1851 when it was housed in the purpose-built Crystal Palace, and it featured the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1889, which was meant as a temporary attraction. Dubai’s edition, the first in the Middle East, is set to be the largest event ever staged in the region, with 25 million visitors expected over the course of its six-month run.
During the pandemic, the next largest event staged in the world was the Tokyo Olympics, when spectators were barred from practically all venues due to severe virus laws.
The Expo 2020 will move along keeping the pandemic in view, with masks and social distancing mandatory on-site. It will be necessary for all visitors to have a negative PCR test.
The United Arab Emirates, which has a population of 10 million people, has seen a fast decline in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, with the number of cases dropping below 300 on Sunday, less than half of what it was a fortnight ago.
The rule of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum said that this event will turn out to be “the most exceptional Expo in the history of the event.”
Furthermore, he also said, “Our nation’s talented citizens were able to convert this vision into a comprehensive plan for success, conveying a message to the world that our commitment to excellence makes us an important contributor to shaping the globe’s future.”
The fair is yet another feather in Dubai’s cap, which has long sought distinction with feats such as the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure at 828 meters (2,717 feet).
One of the displays is a full-scale hyperloop cabin, which is being hailed as the future of long-distance travel and transportation, while Egypt has brought in an old pharaonic coffin.
The key themes of Expo are opportunity, mobility, and sustainability, and the site is centered on the magnificent Al Wasl Plaza, which will be illuminated by 360-degree projections on its massive dome.
