One hundred seventy years of legacy is not a miracle that happened out of the blue. The grand event of the world expo has come a long way since its inception. One of the very few events that are celebrated for its capacity to catch such global attention since 1851. All of it dates back to 1851 when the first fair, called “Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations”, was held in London, which had 34 countries participating and was all about boasting the industrial prowess of these nations. The world expo 2020 has traditionally been an international platform for worldwide nations to showcase their science, art and technology innovations.
The statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower was first showcased in 1878 and 1889, respectively. The Paris Expo 1889 was hosted to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The very first telephone by Alexander Graham Bell was revealed at Philadelphia Expo in 1876. There are many examples, like the television, the Ferris Wheel, the X-ray machine, the ice cream cone, etc.
The world expo 2020 was delayed due to the pandemic but kicked off in Dubai on October 1, 2021, in a never-seen grandeur with record-high participation of 192 countries.
World Expo 2020, Dubai | World Expo 2020
“There is always a first time for everything.”
The formerly stated sentence is suited for Dubai Expo since it is the very first time a world fair was hosted in the Middle East and North Africa. The event may run for six months, but it will have an impact beyond its run time. Hoping to unparalysed the economic downtick due to the pandemic, Dubai World Expo 2020 was hosted on a desert site of size six times the football field.
Aim
Having the aim to exhibit emerging technologies and innovations to the global community, the world fair is certainly a massive event for businesses to network and promote their brand to a wider audience base. Dubai Expo had an overarching theme of ‘Connecting minds, Creating the Future’, through Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity.
In this world fair, every participating country is having their own pavilion to showcase its culture, innovation and technologies. There are also special pavilions & partner pavilions to showcase their world-class expertise impacting the future.
Statistics
The World Expo was built from the ground up on 4.3 sq km of desert land. The fair cost is close to $7 billion. This mega event took almost a decade to make its dawn, providing employment to over 2,30,000 workers.
Insights | World Expo 2020
With innovative technology showcased in historical & cultural displays, there are some unforgettable sights, such as the original coffin of the Pharaoh and the grand shapes of special pavilions like falcons.
Taking note of the largest pavilion at the World Expo 2020 is a magnificent four-storeyed pavilion designed by C.P. Kukreja architects celebrating 75 years of the nation’s independence.
Expo 2020’s magnificent centrepiece and gathering plaza for celebration are called the “Al Wasl” Dome. The heart of the Expo is a masterpiece of animation and display. The dome is 67.5m tall, can fit the Leaning Tower of Pisa beneath and weighs around 2544 tonnes. The dome has the biggest 360° projection screen, with more than 250 state-of-the-art projectors, offering a spectacular experience to its visitors.
The mobility pavilion displays the world’s largest passenger lift that transforms 160 people at a time. As per its aim to connect minds for a brighter future, the mobility pavilion challenges the imagination and inspires visitors to be thoughtful about the future of mobility.
Terra- the sustainability pavilion has 4912 solar panels on its 130m canopy, producing enough electricity to charge over 9,00,000 mobile phones.
The Lithuania pavilion has a 3D printer designed for real-time printing of food. These 3D-printed snacks are naturally at high biological value containing three ingredients: a freeze-dried product, cocoa butter and pea protein isolate.
Opportunities
Such an immense scale provides enormous opportunities for everyone engaged with the fair. For example, Dubai has been seeing events hosting as an opportunity to upscale its economy, especially its flourishing tourism industry, trade and business. According to an estimate, Dubai Expo is expected to contribute $33 billion to the UAE economy from 2013 to 2031. The expo is expected to support the employment of over 9,05,200 until 2031. Within a month of commencing the Expo, the business activities in UAE have reached all-time high records in comparison with the previous two years.
By emphasising small and medium-sized enterprises, it is self-explanatory that these SMEs are key to future growth and job creation. Dubai has spent over 20% of its overalls on SMEs.
Global Impact
The world expo is constantly spotlighting breakthrough ideas, innovations and technologies that are shaping the future of the planet, encouraging to spark of the next generation of technology—seeking to encourage local and global minds to collaborate on social, diplomatic and philanthropic initiatives.
The expo is a global event to draw awareness towards the current global trends and social & diplomatic affairs between nations. It is a phenomenon that influences the economies of emerging countries. It is an event that challenges global trade trends expecting it to grow constantly.
Epilogue | World Expo 2020
Events like the Dubai Expo are trendsetters of the global fiesta of art, culture, innovations and technology. Dubai expo has brought enormous opportunities for the growth of economics, trade, education and diplomacy.
References:
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Ahn, H.K. (2022) Why is hosting the 2030 World Expo so important to South Korea?, – The Diplomat. for The Diplomat. Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2022/09/why-is-hosting-the-2030-world-expo-so-important-to-south-korea/ (Accessed: January 29, 2023).
Ghali, M. (2022) Dubai Expo: Chance for change in Middle East and North Africa, Business and Economy News | Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/19/expo-2020-a-chance-for-change-in-middle-east-and-north-africa (Accessed: January 29, 2023).
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Sankar, A. (2022) Expo 2020 dubai: 13 jaw-dropping innovations showcased at the World Fair, Khaleej Times. Khaleej Times. Available at: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/expo/expo-2020-dubai-13-jaw-dropping-innovations-showcased-at-the-world-fair (Accessed: January 29, 2023).
