Navigating Dubai Expo 2020: Oct 2021 To Mar 2022

A Brief History of Expos

International Registered Exhibitions or World Expo is a global gathering of nations dedicated to finding solutions of contemporaneous challenges by offering a journey inside a universal theme through engaging and immersive activities.

A World Expo welcomes tens of millions of visitors, allows countries to build extraordinary pavilions and transforms the host city for years to come.

In 1851, London hosted the first World Expo, the Great Exhibition. The idea became popular and was repeated across the globe, establishing a record of world-class legacies and unprecedented power of attraction. The Bureau International des Expositions, BIE, has been regulating and overseeing World Expos since its inception in 1928. It also ensures that the Expos improve humankind's knowledge, take into account human aspirations, and highlight scientific, technological, economic, and social progress.

Among international events in the modern era, World Expos are unmatched in size, scope, duration, and number of visitors. Education and progress are promoted through these large-scale platforms that act as a bridge between governments, corporations, international organizations, and citizens. 

About Dubai Expo

Dubai has been named as the host of Expo 2020 by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) general assembly in Paris on 27 November 2013. The theme of the Expo is "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future". The expo will also have three subthemes: opportunity, mobility and sustainability, each with its own pavilion.  The expo is being hosted in an area of 438 hectares (1083 acres) between its southern and northern borders, near Abu Dhabi. A central plaza, named Al Wasl, surrounds three large thematic districts designed by the American firm HOK. BESIX and Orascom constructed the infrastructure of the Expo 2020 site, which is 4.38 square kilometers. A hotel is also located at the site called ROVE Expo 2020, which is the only hotel at the site. With a rooftop pool and views of Al Wasl Plaza, the hotel offers 312 rooms and 19 suites.

Why it is Named 2020

The whole world got severely affected by the coronavirus led pandemic. It led to a global lockdown, people were quarantined and both domestic and international travels were restricted. Even the schools, colleges and offices were closed. Consequently, all the world level gatherings like Dubai had to be postponed for the sake of health safety. This whole event was, so, postponed for a whole year. To preserve the original vision of the event the name wasn’t changed from 2020 to 2021 despite being organized in 2021. 

It is not the first time an event has kept the name of an event from a bygone year despite its postponement. Even though the Games were held in 2021, they retained the name Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. 

Also, this type of naming is done for branding and marketing reasons as it takes a lot of money, effort and time to change the name of a respective event on all the platforms. 

What India is showcasing there

The Pavilion of India was inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, Minister of Consumer Affairs, and Food and Public Distribution. It includes a façade consisting of 600 kinetic panels that can simulate and move. 

The whole pavilion is a four story structure divided in two parts. Eleven primary themes are identified for each zone - Global Goals, Urban and Rural Development, Climate and Biodiversity, Space, Tolerance and Inclusivity, Food Agriculture and Livelihoods and Water, Golden Jubilee, Knowledge and Learning, Travel and Connectivity, Health and Wellness. The pavilion shows India’s art, culture, literature, cinema and cuisine from across 36 states and union territories.  It also showcases India's space program, yoga, and medicinal herbs. A replica of the Statue of Unity is a major highlight on the ground floor. There are miniature models of the Taj Mahal, the Junagarh Fort, and the Ram Mandir on the first floor, giving visitors an immersive experience of Indian landscapes and art.

At Expo 2020 Dubai, India's pavilion reflects the philosophy of ‘Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu’ (????: ??????: ?????? ??????) which means, "May all beings be happy."

Expo 2020 Dubai offers a unique opportunity for India to showcase itself to the world and project its future as a hub of innovation and growth.

The vastness of the theme allows visitors to explore and experience India’s strengths and achievements in all its glory. Doors open from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022.