Despite the pandemic, Dubai opened its extravagant Expo 2020 on Thursday (30 September) with a glitzy ceremony featuring fireworks and light displays to woo the globe.
As Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum declared the $7 billion Expo open, stunning projections illuminated the domed Al Wasl Plaza which is also the site’s focal point.
Sheikh Hamdan said, “The entire world gathers in the UAE as we inaugurate together, with the blessing of Allah, Expo 2020 Dubai.”
Lang Lang, a Chinese pianist, and Andrea Bocelli, a blind Italian tenor, both performed in front of Dubai’s royal rulers.
Despite the European Parliament’s appeal for member states to boycott the United Arab Emirates because of its human rights record, the ceremony started off with a six-month international fair that will be attended by nearly 190 countries.
Expo 2020, the first in the Middle East, is expected to attract 25 million visitors, making it the biggest attended event since the plague. The Tokyo Olympics was held without many spectators this year.
However, travel restrictions remain in effect around the world during a spectacle that began a year late and was planned before Covid-19.
Read also: Dubai Expo: Biggest Event Since Pandemic
Although the organizers have yet to respond to a request for information on ticket sales, discounts are already being provided, and Dubai government employees have been given six days off to attend.
The extravagant spectacle in Al Wasl Plaza, the centerpiece of the massive Expo site that sprawls across an area twice the size of Monaco, featured themes of sustainability and the planet’s future.
The British Singer Ellie Goulding also performed at the opening ceremony of the Dubai Expo.
The Expo 2020 logo is based on a golden ring, which reflects historic civilizations associated with the UAE. This cultural event is another confirmation that the UAE will always be a crossroads for civilizations and a beacon of innovation.
Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed also tweeted and said, “With the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai, I congratulate my brother Mohammed bin Rashid & everyone that has been involved in this historic event. Over the next 6 months, the UAE will welcome people from across the world to share experiences & create a brighter future for all.”
Furthermore, he added, “The opening ceremony of “Expo 2020 Dubai” calls for pride and confirms that the UAE is organizing an exceptional and unprecedented session. Welcome to the world on the land of love, peace, and hope.”
The opening ceremony of Dubai Expo 2020 was also brought to people through live coverage.
