Want to discover theExpo 2020 Dubai in pictures? Or to have practical information to prepare your visit? Let’s review this innovative and inspiring world exhibition!
The Expo 2020 is a must-see as we mentioned in our article“What are the must-sees in Dubai?” if you are visiting Dubai.
Plan several days on site, as the event is imposing and once there, it would be silly not to see a maximum of pavilions. The 2020 World Expo will close on March 31, 2022. We were there for 2 days, but we would have needed twice as many to do everything we wanted!
Around the park’s guiding theme of “connecting minds, creating the future” are three sub-themes meant to inspire connection and lasting change around the world:
Each of the 192 countries gathered worked on the elaboration of a pavilion with their image.
The park of the world exhibition is organized around a central square, Al Wasl (former name of Dubai and meaning “connection” in Arabic), which is 150 m in diameter. It reflects the meeting point of the 5 neighborhoods including the 3 thematic neighborhoods (opportunity, mobility and sustainability) as well as the Al Forsan and Jubilee neighborhoods, where there are two large green parks.
This center is topped by a 360-degree dome-shaped trellis; made of a glass and steel structure and more than 65 meters high. Illuminations and projections take place on the structure that can be seen from inside and outside for an immersive experience.
The green spaces are home to recreational activities for children as well as large outdoor shows.
The whole site comes to represent a flower with 3 petals and 2 leaves. The whole thing is innovative, ingenious and inspiring, especially with its sustainable development pavilion, composed of almost 5,000 photovoltaic panels on its roof and 18 energy trees that can be seen throughout the park.
These trees follow the sunlight, in order to capture a maximum of solar energy. Groundwater is desalinated and non-consumable water is reused for the native landscape. Thanks to these structures, the site is “autonomous”.
We had the chance to go there at the end of 2021. The park being very large, it would take about a week to see everything! To help us, we used the expo2020dubai app to book tour slots and avoid lines.
However, we could not see all the pavilions we wanted to see as some were very popular, such as the one of Japan.
Finally, before presenting the three thematic districts, here is an overview of the Canada Pavilion, which is located in the Jubilee District.
Externally, it looks great with its wooden structure, inspired by our landscapes, and incorporating Middle Eastern architectural elements.
With its 360-degree interior theater, Canada takes us on a journey through the past, the present and then into its vision of the future.
Mastercard is one of the partners of theDubai World Expo. Aboard their Priceless Cube, the team immerses us in the new payment technologies of the future through virtual reality.
On site, we obviously used the HSBC World Elite: with this card , we avoid paying conversion fees for foreign currency transactions. That’s 2.5% savings on each transaction!
Here is the current welcome offer for this Card:
Here is some practical information about visiting Expo 2020 Dubai:
You can choose between :
Access is through one of the 3 main gates (mobility, sustainability and opportunity) where there are parking lots and buses that go around the exhibition.
Finally, it is possible to enter through the Dubai Exhibition center which is connected to the metro.
The World Expo site is open 7 days a week but the pavilions are only open from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
The opening hours are :
Admission is free for children aged 0-17, students, senior citizens of Dubai aged 60+ and disabled persons (with proof). Registration must be done on site.
General admission (ages 18-59) is at a cost of :
Use a creditcard with no conversion fees to pay for your entries!
Inside theExpo 2020 park, one can move around on foot under the innovative awnings (an i-Mesh textile protecting visitors from the sun but also used as a projection screen at night), in a stroller or wheelchair. Everything is designed to be accessible to everyone.
For those who wish, it is possible to rent bicycles, strollers, wheelchairs or a golf cart. The 3 large districts have an electric or compressed air train. A free bus service is also available.
Here is a brief presentation of the 3 main districts as well as the main countries visited either at Al Forsan or at the Jubilee. In addition to presenting their country, their culture and what defines them, they all worked hard around the sub-themes.
More than 60 countries have decided to articulate their pavilions around the theme of mobility, the objective being to show how to develop an intelligent movement of people in the around the world.
Algeria
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Barbados
Belgium
Botswana
Bulgaria
Cape Verde
Chile
Costa Rica
Ivory Coast
Croatia
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominique
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Finland
France
Gambia
Gatorade – The Bolt
Grenada
Haiti
Iran
Jamaica
Jordan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Laos
Libya
Mauritania
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Nauru
Nepal
Niger
Oman
Palau
Paraguay
Peru
Poland
Republic of Korea
Dominican Republic
Russia
Sao Tome and Principe
Serbia
Senegal
Slovakia
Sudan
Syria
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Alif is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. The objective here is to show the progress made so far in terms of mobility and to explore what can be done. Its elevator is the largest in the world, almost reaching the stars!
From the Worldfairswebsite :
The French Pavilion thus aims to highlight the fastest mobility that can exist, but also to embody the Enlightenment, a symbol since the 18th century of sharing and spreading knowledge. The French Pavilion aims to promote the French model of innovation, which makes it possible to reconcile sustainable development and the competitiveness of companies at the international level for a model of connected and sustainable cities and territories at the service of citizens and the common good.
The French Pavilion thus aims to highlight the fastest mobility that can exist, but also to embody the Enlightenment, a symbol since the 18th century of sharing and spreading knowledge.
The French Pavilion aims to promote the French model of innovation, which makes it possible to reconcile sustainable development and the competitiveness of companies at the international level for a model of connected and sustainable cities and territories at the service of citizens and the common good.
Excerpt from the website Worldfairs :
The Korean pavilion sees the virtual and the real blend in harmony, showing a future filled with infinite potential. The Korean caractéristiques presented through the pavilion design are solidarity, dynamic thinking, commitment to innovation and flexibility in the face of change. These caractéristiques are reflected in the pavilion’s facade, which changes constantly throughout the day.
The Korean pavilion sees the virtual and the real blend in harmony, showing a future filled with infinite potential.
The Korean caractéristiques presented through the pavilion design are solidarity, dynamic thinking, commitment to innovation and flexibility in the face of change.
These caractéristiques are reflected in the pavilion’s facade, which changes constantly throughout the day.
Korea has well thought out its animations with its interactive side. It involves the visitor throughout the journey to make him aware of the dynamics and adaptations we have to make.
Russia has produced some of the most creative minds in the world, whether in music, art or invention. These achievements are the starting point for asking a series of questions about the future, understanding each other despite our differences, and connecting people and minds.
For my part, this is one of my favorite pavilions!
A golden pavilion covered with a curtain of more than 500 woven artificial flowers, the Thailand pavilion contains a work of art entitled “The Miracle of Smile” and takes visitors on a 360-degree journey through the country.
Visitors to the Turkmenistan Pavilion, located in the mobility district, are greeted by a majestic fountain sculpture of five Akhal-Teke horses at the entrance. These animals are an indigenous symbol of national pride.
The theme of opportunity has been developed by over 70 countries. Each of them brings us into their thinking about how to build the future by unleashing the potential of individuals and communities.
Afghanistan
South Africa
Saudi Arabia
Armenia
Austria
Baden-Württemberg
Bahrain
Belize
Bhutan
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei
Burundi
Cameroon
China
Cyprus
Colombia
Congo (DRC)
Congo, Rep.
Egypt
Ethiopia
Fiji
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Honduras
Indonesia
Iraq
Marshall Islands
Solomon Islands
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Luxembourg
Northern Macedonia
Malawi
Mali
Malta
Morocco
Maurice
Monaco
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Norway
Uganda
Pakistan
United Kingdom
Rwanda
San Marino
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Lucia
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Switzerland
Chad
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Tunisia
Ukraine
African Union
Vietnam
Zambia
Zimbabwe
The potential of individuals and communities is put forward. In itself, it is important to understand that everyone has the power to change things at their own level. The interactive missions allow to take action in order to realize that small changes can lead to big changes.
From the Worldfairs website:
The pavilion guides visitors through the wonders of the country’s 13 regions with multiple immersive and interactive experiences and exhibits. Visitors to the Saudi Pavilion then discover 14 cultural sites along an amazing escalator ride. Through an audio-visual guide, visitors can explore 23 other destinations, including major signature projects that rewrite the possibilities of sustainable development, as they continue their tour.
This pavilion was amazing with its audiovisual room. An immersive visit that made me want to visit this country!
The Egypt Pavilion, themed “Legacy for the Future,” will take visitors on a journey of exploration, giving them the opportunity to discover how the country is evolving and how Egyptians – the makers of history – are shaping a better future through innovation and opportunity
The pavilion, which is located in the Opportunity District of the World’s Fair, looks like a huge window that opens on the ground and rises into the sky. It also serves as a showcase for the kingdom’s experience in combining its rich traditions with its boundless aspirations for a bright future.
Here also, the visitor is an actor, he plays with an umbrella in the color of the flag, a nice way to participate rather than just being a spectator.
Germany
Andorra
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Benin
Bolivia
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Comoros
Cuba
Spain
Gabon
Georgia
Greece
Guinea
Equatorial Guinea
Kuwait
Lesotho
Lithuania
Madagascar
Maldives
Montenegro
Mozambique
New Zealand
Uzbekistan
Papua New Guinea
Netherlands
Qatar
Central African Republic
Czech Republic
Romania
Saint-Christophe-et-Niévès
Seychelles
Singapore
Sweden
Suriname
Tajikistan
Turkey
Yemen
This pavilion is a feat of technology. Whether it is in the capture of light, the regulation of temperature, its surrounding nature.
With a rather unique architecture, the pavilion represents a house on stilts, commonly found along the shores of the Amazon, and is built around a walkable body of water, evoking the waters of Brazil here in Dubai and offering an immersive experience and a unique journey through the abundant opportunities of Brazil.
The motto of the Pavilion of Spain, “Intelligence for Life”, summarizes the priorities of the Pavilion: our capacity for innovation and our desire to preserve a good quality of life on the planet, for ourselves and for future generations. Its distinctive sign will be its high and colored cones in which the atavistic memory of the colors has been recovered to transmit the character of the Mediterranean culture and to link the theme of the sustainability to a message of optimism.
The motto of the Pavilion of Spain, “Intelligence for Life”, summarizes the priorities of the Pavilion: our capacity for innovation and our desire to preserve a good quality of life on the planet, for ourselves and for future generations.
Its distinctive sign will be its high and colored cones in which the atavistic memory of the colors has been recovered to transmit the character of the Mediterranean culture and to link the theme of the sustainability to a message of optimism.
Singapore’s lushly landscaped, net-zero energy pavilion shows how the city-state has overcome geographic limitations to become a green, livable and resilient city of the future. Echoing Singapore’s vision of a “city in nature,” the open-air pavilion unfolds over 1,500 square meters of soft tropical vegetation, centered on three striking themed garden cones and topped with a solar canopy and hanging garden.
The Uzbekistan Pavilion takes visitors on a journey through time, highlighting the mobility of people, cultures and ideas that have the potential to shape the future.
Located in the Sustainability District, the Sweden Pavilion combines a Nordic woodland-inspired experience with a Middle Eastern architectural flair. Visitors can walk along tree-trunk lined paths and discover how Sweden is building smart cities, developing next generation travel, innovating in life sciences and developing a biocircular economy.
Here is an overview of the other pavilions visited in these two neighborhoods and a few words for some of them.
China has one of the largest pavilions and is a symbol of hope for a bright future. Technology and innovation are put forward, a futuristic vision in itself.
The UAE pavilion is magnificent, it must be said! Its structure represents that of a falcon in flight with its wings following the sunlight. This is one not to be missed. We are introduced to the culture of the Emiratis where the Arabic influence is well represented. Music, falcon tamer, weavers on our arrival.
I actually enjoyed watching and then participating, sitting with two women in traditional garb, weaving baskets from organic palm leaves. One of them taught me the traditional weaving technique. I have a great memory of this moment.
After a more or less long wait, we finally enter the water, symbolic of life and land, to discover an interior made of sand dunes where we walk and listen to the history of the construction of the country thanks to the alliance of the 7 emirates.
The tour begins with American history and its presidents, continues with its innovations, ideals, and the importance of freedom in future choices. We end with a vision on the Falcon 9 rocket. It is even possible to have a drink or eat under the rocket!
India shares its culture of yoga, plants and space ambitions. We enter a surprising universe with its dynamic screens.
Italy has taken the theme “Beauty connects people” to create its pavilion, almost 27 meters high and built from three hulls of boats that arrived by sea in Dubai and will leave by the same route at the end of the exhibition. Recycling is at the heart of the subject, without losing sight of the Italian cultural heritage.
Expo 2020 is offering an Expo passport booklet for sale. At each pavilion, you can have it stamped, add stickers or have it signed. A great way to keep a memorable souvenir of your visit to Expo!
Expo 2020 is surprising, rich in discovery. We also note the enthusiasm of several countries for space. We hope that this presentation of the Dubai World Expo has inspired you to go there before it closes!
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