What is the theme?
"Connecting Minds, Building the Future" is the central theme, a platform to foster creativity, innovation and collaboration on a global scale that will enable innovative solutions to tomorrow's challenges.
Three sub-themes allow for in-depth exploration and respond to today's urgencies:
Opportunity: explores ways to unlock the potential of individuals and communities and questions the possibilities of providing equitable and quality education, inclusive growth while enabling the reduction of inequalities. It highlights the hope of new industries and the challenge of good governance in tomorrow's world.
Mobility: This theme reflects on the physical and virtual connections between goods, people and ideas. Not only do we explore new transport and travel of the future, but also digital connectivity and everything related to logistics.
Sustainability: a major area of current discussion between scientists, governments and NGOs, it naturally finds its place in this exhibition. Resources, climate change, green growth, ecosystems, but also green cities and sustainable habitats are all explored.
How is the site structured?
You have to imagine a flower with 3 petals. Each petal represents a district and houses one of the 3 sub-themes. At the centre of the flower is the heart of the Expo, the Al Wasl Plaza, which means "connection" in Arabic, a place for meetings, shows and exchanges.
Each of the 3 districts illustrates through a pavilion one of the 3 sub-themes, namely Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability. One can go from one petal to another thanks to a circular avenue that straddles the three districts, symbolizing the importance of intersectoral thinking and decompartmentalization. The countries participating in the Expo were able to choose in which sector to install their pavilion according to the theme they had decided to highlight. Two parks, Al Forsan and Jubilee, host attractions, restaurants and rest areas. In all, there are more than 200 pavilions to visit, including 13 partner companies and 16 international organizations.
What events are planned around Expo 2020?
More than 60 shows are planned for each of the 173 days. At nightfall, fireworks and concerts are planned throughout the site. In addition, each week will feature a theme through "Ted talks", exhibitions and workshops. The themes are as follows: Climate and Biodiversity, Conquering Space, Urban and Rural Development, Tolerance and Inclusiveness, Knowledge and Learning, Travel and Connectivity, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Health and Well-being, on Innovation, Agriculture and Livestock, Water, Women and Girls... Finally, in a symbolic way, the participating countries have chosen to designate a day to celebrate their national day
Good tips
The first thing to do is to download the Expo2020 application to find your way around. There you can buy your ticket (if you haven't already done so) and activate your ticket cutters, of which there are 10 per day and per person, preferably the day before your visit. Please note that not all the pavilions participate in the ticket-cutting scheme. Also download the Careem Bike app if you want to rent a bike for a first ride before you start exploring. Don't forget your health pass or your Covid under 72 hour test for those over 12. Bring a bottle of water or a water bottle that you can fill from one of the many fountains available on site. Take very comfortable shoes, a good sun cream and a hat. We recommend at least two days of visit if possible outside weekends. The first one in the afternoon to see the site also by night with the illuminated pavilions and the second one during the day, at the opening to avoid the crowd. Get your Expo passport, which is on sale throughout the site. It will make everyone happy. As you leave each pavilion, you can have it stamped with the logo of the country you are visiting! At the entrance, you can find maps of all the pavilions
And what about gastronomy?
More than 200 points of sale. But not just that, and not just any old way. In fact, Expo 2020 has set up a charter called "Food Ethos", which brings together a set of values aimed at promoting culinary ethics throughout the industry. All restaurants and bars must promote well-balanced dishes, offering vegan options, using local and organic resources whenever possible, all presented in sustainable packaging and at affordable prices
Which pavilions should I explore?
Here are some suggestions, but the list is not exhaustive of course and reflects the diversity of countries represented in each of the districts.
In the Mobility area, here are the pavilions to visit: The Mobility pavilion, designed by the renowned architectural firm Foster+Partners, houses the world's largest elevator, which can accommodate over 160 people at a time. Inside the pavilion, after exploring the history of mobility through the inventors of transportation on land and in space, visitors are taken to explore the cities of tomorrow with the use of artificial intelligence, big data, robotics and autonomous vehicles. This is a superb pavilion not to be missed beautiful and very inspiring. France has chosen "Lumière Lumières" as the theme for its pavilion. It all starts from the huge esplanade with the collaboration of lille3000 which presents 7 capsules housing innovative and intelligent textiles and sculptures by Sépand Danesh. Inside, you can wander through the permanent exhibition rooms presented in 3 spaces: The Age of Enlightenment with a copy of Diderot and d'Alembert's Encyclopaedia, the second on the theme of mobility with the pavilion's partners and the third called Galaxy of the Future. A last space is dedicated to a temporary exhibition that changes every month. We also recommend the pavilion of Thailand, Belgium, Russia and Syria. The Republic of Korea offers a futuristic pavilion with rotating cubes and a spiral space running along the inside and outside of the building and offering panoramic views of the World Expo site
In the Opportunity area, here's what you shouldn't miss: The Opportunity Pavilion, Mission Possible: The theme is ambitious, as it looks at the possibilities of unlocking the potential of individuals and communities to create a better world. Designed by AGi Architects, it is inspired by the rich urban history of public squares and their universal significance: a place to bring people of all ages, languages and cultures together. Made of natural materials, it is composed of 2,500 tons of stone and 111 kilometers of rope. Inside, there are 3 highlights. The first is to follow 3 mentors, Abel, Mama and Fatma, whose actions have had a strong impact on their communities in the areas of food, water and energy. Another will allow you to participate in an international mission and the last one will explore the thousand and one ways to create a better future. In this way, visitors will be able to see that every action counts, that the 8 billion human beings are connected and that even the smallest gestures can make a difference. The pavilion also wants to highlight the 17 UN goals such as education, access to water, gender equality. We recommend that you visit the United Arab Emirates pavilion. Designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava, its shape represents that of a falcon in flight, whose mobile wings move at certain times of the day. It will present the history of the country through its founding fathers, but also how the country has become a global hub through the portraits of its expatriates. Towards the end, a small animated film, very well done, presents in 2 minutes the history of the country. Beware, plan to go there as soon as it opens as the wait can be long. Don't miss to visit Saudi Arabia, which traces the history of this kingdom and the profound changes they hope for, but also go and see Egypt, Monaco, Luxembourg, Pakistan and pass in front of the UK pavilion. In the United Kingdom, whose exterior architecture reveals a constantly evolving poem generated by artificial intelligence and visitor contributions.
In the Sustainability sector, here are the flagship pavilions: The Sustainability Pavilion. Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion was designed by British firm Grimshaw Architects and aims to achieve the highest level of accreditation available for sustainable architecture, LEED Platinum certification. It takes the form of a huge 130-metre wide canopy, covered with 1,055 solar panels that can produce up to 4 gigawatts per year. Inside this magnificent building, you can immerse yourself in two worlds: under the ocean and under the forest. An immersive experience punctuated by scientific data that allows you to understand in a very concrete way the fragile balance of our earth. The two worlds come together in a space that explores several avenues of reflection for a different world. Very educational, the pavilion is full of ideas, questioning our way of living, consuming and behaving. Under the canopy, three renowned Emirati artists, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Zainab Al-Hashemi and Mohamed Kazem, have represented through their art the interaction between man and nature. Other pavilions to visit in the neighbourhood include Singapore, a superb vertical garden where it is difficult to distinguish between nature and architecture, and the Dutch pavilion, with an immersive experience based on water. Just next door, the Czech Republic pavilion which presents several very innovative solutions! For the Brazilian pavilion, water is also at the heart of the exhibition. Reproducing the Amazon basin, its rich biodiversity and its potential for sustainable production, visitors will be able to walk around and soak up the scenery, sounds and scents of the Brazilian riverbanks, especially beautiful at nightfall. And finally, the women's pavilion is a must!
Finally in the parks, here are our recommendations: In the Al Forsan sector, here is what you should not overlook: the Kazakhstan pavilion with an immersive experience despite the waiting time, Japan whose visit is at least 1 hour, but also the Emirates pavilion whose visit is booked in advance on the website, andGermany. In the Jubilee Park area, don't miss the waterfall show that takes place every 10 minutes and the Park View attraction that will take you up to 65 meters in altitude in 2 minutes to observe the entire Expo site from a rotating platform.
It's hard to name them all! Many are very interesting! For the other participating countries that did not have the financial means to build their own space, Expo2020 has provided them with turnkey pavilions. Don't overlook them, because while the architecture may not be eye-catching, the content is often exciting and there is no waiting time to enter.
What impressed us
Beyond the pavilions, it is the artists, architects and designers whose talents have created an exceptional site of design and attention to detail. One example is the famous British architect Asif Khan, who designed the sublime doors of Expo 2020, made of carbon fibre and resin spun into very fine strands. A true work of architecture. 50 benches inspired by Arabic calligraphy are the result of a collaboration between Asif Khan and typographer Lara Captan. Each bench represents a word in 3D. It is also the different materials that make up the floor of the exhibition park, or the design of the roofs of the shaded passages, the illumination in the evening with street lamps whose silhouette is inspired by Sadu craftsmanship and the projected light draws the shadow of looms on the floor. One walks among thousands of trees, most of which are local species and were planted in a nursery set up on the site. In the hottest hours, much of the site is shaded by the beautiful shaded walkway that runs through the site. There are many places to rest and relax. Music throughout the site contributes to a truly zen-like atmosphere.
And when it's all over?
As for the sustainability of the site, following Expo 2020, it will incorporate a new district called District 2020. The Dubai Convention Centre will move from the centre to the site. The thematic districts will continue to live on through a dynamic commercial and residential development project. Of the 130 buildings, 121 have been built to achieve LEED certification. 80% of the park will remain to integrate with District 2020. For example, the Sustainability Pavilion will be transformed into a youth science centre. The Mobility Pavilion will become the headquarters for cooperation between international companies and Wasl Plaza will become a concert venue. For the rest, 75% of the temporary buildings will be redeployed elsewhere or recycled.
Expo2020 wants to face the challenges of tomorrow with an optimistic outlook. Visitors will be able to discover sustainable practices, technologies from 5G to AI to green technology, and new economic models that are revolutionising engineering. The creation and construction of the cities of the future will also be an exciting topic. Debates and meetings are also at the heart of this World Expo. At the first Universal Exhibition in 1851, London celebrated the innovations of the Industrial Revolution. With Expo 2020, Dubai wants to offer the 4.0 Revolution. The world has a date with Dubai in 2021!
