All around the globe, World Expo events are known for the important role they play in bringing nations together to celebrate humanity’s advancements. They’re also known for the legacies they leave behind. Some of the world’s most iconic structures, from Paris’s Eiffel Tower to Seattle’s Space Needle are all holdovers from previous World Expo events.
Those are just a few reasons that it was such a big deal in 2013 when Dubai was selected to play host to the World Expo in 2020 – becoming the first middle eastern nation to do so.
Now, with the date of the event approaching fast, Dubai’s preparations for the event are in high gear and some tantalizing details of what will be a part of it are becoming public. Here’s a look at what the Dubai Expo 2020 will be all about, and why it’s expected to be one of the most important World Expos of the modern era.
Why Dubai?
To understand just what kind of event Expo2020 in Dubai is shaping up to be, it’s important to understand the myriad reasons it was selected to host the event. First and foremost, the history of Dubai speaks directly to the central organizing principles of the event itself: diversity, cooperation, and advancement.
Over the past 50 years, Dubai has undergone a transformation from a little-known fishing village into one of the biggest thriving metropolises on Earth. According to some estimates, some 85% of the city’s population of around 2.8 million are foreign-born. Together, they’ve turned Dubai into a global hub for economic activity and tourism unlike any other.
The city boasts world-class entertainment venues, a bustling business district, and sprawling luxury dwellings. It already draws major events every year, with millions descending on the numerous conference hotels in Dubai. In many ways, Dubai might be the one modern city built from the ground up to support an event like Expo2020.
The Themes of Expo2020 Dubai
From the beginning, the organizing committee behind the Expo2020 Dubai event has promised it to be one with a 21st-century focus on themes of global relevance. To that end, they’ve designed the event to revolve around opportunity, mobility, and sustainability. Broadly speaking, the three sub-themes encapsulate many of the concerns and challenges facing the majority of the world’s citizens. The pavilions of the participating nations will all be designed around one of the three event sub-themes.
The Opportunity Pavilions
The first group of pavilions will be dedicated to the concept of opportunity. They will feature displays and events meant to highlight the latest and greatest technological advancements, with a particular focus on developments that will assist the developing world in the areas of food, water, and energy. Within the participating national pavilions, visitors will be able to see everything from next-generation jet engine designs to ground-breaking architectural solutions that extend modern comforts to all areas of the world without undue economic or environmental impacts.
The Mobility Pavilions
The second group of pavilions will feature displays focused on the theme of mobility. They will highlight advances in the movement of people, knowledge, and culture around the world. In a way, Dubai, as a city, is the very definition of those ideals – coming into being as a gathering place for cultures and ideas from every corner of the world. Visitors will be able to learn about the history of human exploration, from remote areas of the earth to the deep sea and into space. They’ll also be able to learn about the next generation of global supply chains and data exchange technologies that will usher in a whole new age of global cooperation.
The Sustainability Pavilions
The third pavilion group is dedicated to the idea of sustainability – and is one likely to draw a great deal of attention. Participating pavilions will highlight the technologies and sciences dedicated to preserving the Earth’s fragile environment. As a coastal city within one of the world’s most arid climates, Dubai is already at the front lines of the fight to embrace renewable energy and design adaptable solutions to a changing climate. Since a wide swath of the world’s population is already or will soon be in similar straits, the sustainability options on display at Expo2020 Dubai might offer a prophetic glimpse into the near future of humanity as a whole.
A Global Event Like No Other
Like previous World Expo Events, Expo2020 Dubai is on track to draw plenty of attention and global prestige. It’s also going to further cement Dubai’s place among the world’s most important economic capitals. That’s because it’s expected to draw as many as 25 million visitors from over 190 countries, many of whom will represent business interests from around the world. It’s all but sure to fill all of the hotels with meeting rooms and hotels with conference facilities within the city to capacity for the duration of the nearly six-month event.
So, although the event is still about seven months away, those interested in attending will need to act fast to get their travel plans in order. Those that do will be rewarded with an event that’s sure to have no equal – and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the best of what humanity has to offer, in a city that embodies that very same ideal.