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read moreExpo 2020 Dubai has opened in the United Arab Emirates with a lavish opening ceremony launching what organisers hope will be the largest global gathering since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Delayed for 12 months by the pandemic, the first world fair to be held in the Middle East, opened on Thursday evening with a lavish ceremony of fireworks, music and messaging about the power of global collaboration for a more sustainable future.
More than 190 countries are showcasing their cultures and innovations inside architecturally striking pavilions on the 438-hectare site on which Dubai's Government has spent an estimated US$7 billion.
Aiming to attract 25 million visitors over the next six months organisers say they have been "delighted" with ticket sales - with the Expo being seen as vital in revitalising Dubai’s economy.
Dubai’s Government says it wants the Expo, an exhibition of culture, technology and architecture under the banner ‘Connecting Minds and Creating the Future’, to be a demonstration of ingenuity, and a place where global challenges such as climate change, conflict and economic growth can be addressed together.
From its centerpiece dome, marketed as the world’s largest 360-degree projection screen, the Expo site’s largest attraction is the UAE’s falcon-shaped pavilion, which takes visitors on a two-hour-long immersive experience through dunes of real orange sand and footage from the country’s 50-year history.
Italy’s pavilion is draped with 70 kilometres of rope made from two million plastic bottles, with the facility also featuring is a marble replica of Michelangelo’s biblical hero, David. The 5.2 metre high nude giant is not easily accessible - visitors must enter separate floors of a building to view it at eye-level or peer up from its feet.
China's pavilion is one of the largest at the Expo and is shaped like a traditional lantern, Morocco's is made with traditional mud-building methods while Saudi Arabia's includes the world's largest interactive lighting floor, LED mirror screen and interactive water feature.
Other attractions include an African food hall, a massive mirror-like fountain with silver cascades of water flowing back and forth, a recently excavated royal Egyptian mummy, concerts and performances from around the world, and the option to dine on a $500 three-course meal with glow-in-the-dark cuisine.
Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, declared the Expo open at a ceremony on Thursday evening that featured stars from across the world, including Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, British popstar Ellie Goulding and Chinese pianist Lang Lang.
Sheikh Mohammed told the Al Bayan newspaper this week that it would be "exceptional event to be engraved in mankind's memory", noting “we take pride in welcoming representatives of 192 countries to the land of tolerance, as we invest in this global gathering to find solutions to global challenges on the grounds of international co-operation that humanity is in need of.”
Since the staging of the first World Fair in the United States in 1876 - where Alexander Graham Bell launched the telephone, the typewriter, a mechanical calculator and Heinz Ketchup - the events have captured the imagination and showcased some of humanity’s most important innovations
The most famous World Fair legacy is Paris’ Eiffel Tower, which was constructed for the 1889 edition.
Images: The interior of the centerpiece dome during the Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony (top), artists perform during the opening ceremony (middle) and a firework display during the opening ceremony (below). Credit: Expo 2020 Dubai/Facebook.
25th September 2021 - 2026 opening date revealed for long delayed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
18th September 2021 - Set to open on 1st October Expo 2020 Dubai announces enhanced entry measures
16th September 2021 - UAE venues to allow fans for Indian Premier League fixtures
6th September 2021 - Abu Dhabi launches new process to verify international vaccination certificates
27th August 2021 - New tourism projects aim to drive visitation to Dubai’s Hatta enclave
19th August 2021 - Dubai prepares for opening of world’s tallest observation wheel
13th July 2021 - Vantage Guest Experience Platform selected for Atlantis Dubai’s Aquaventure
30th June 2021 - ICC advises relocation of T20 World Cup from India to UAE and Oman
19th June 2021 - Expo 2020 Dubai reveal Women’s Pavilion
20th April 2021 - Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena named Venue of the Year at The Middle East Event Awards
12th April 2021 - Dubai looks to expand public parks network as part of 2040 vision
13th March 2021 - Dubai’s DXB Entertainments gets approval for US$1.17 billion debt transfer
22nd February 2021 - Australia unveils pavilion for Dubai World Expo 2020
12th February 2021 - Dubai theme park operator urges shareholders to back takeover offer
1st February 2021 - Centrepiece pavilion opened at Dubai Expo 2020 site
11th January 2021 - Rescheduled Dubai Expo anticipates 25 million visits over its six-month event
12th October 2020 - Dubai’s Global Village plans COVID-19 safety measures for silver jubilee season
7th October 2020 - Dubai Safari Park reopens after 33 month refurbishment
27th July 2020 - Dubai’s Global Village to run for 25 weeks from October
25th July 2020 - Dubai and Indonesia are latest recipients of WTTC Safe Travels stamp
19th July 2020 - Expo 2020 Dubai organisers look to deliver quality of experience for visitors next year
8th July 2020 - Dubai reopens for international tourists
19th June 2020 - Expo 2020 Dubai site to be delivered this year
6th May 2020 - One-year postponement confirmed for Expo 2020 Dubai
30th April 2020 - Dubai aims to welcome back visitors from July
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