Countdown begins: 2,020 days to Expo 2020 Dubai

Friday April 10 officially marks the 2,020 day countdown to the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai - another major milestone for the iconic event which will be held for the first time in the region.

The October 20, 2020 opening will welcome millions of visitors, countries and companies from across the globe during the six-month event, which also coincides with the UAE’s 50th anniversary celebrations. 

The commemorative key countdown marker is among a number of initiatives around the UAE-wide multi-experience community engagement campaign, ‘For Everyone’, which also includes interactive experiential zones, art showcases and the opportunity to design the new Expo 2020 Dubai logo.

"As we ready to celebrate this important milestone on the journey to Expo 2020, the opportunity to engage with the people of the UAE and provide the platforms to spur meaningful and collaborative discussion around the Expo themes, our value to our community and how Expo 2020 will be for everyone, will hopefully empower people to be actively involved in shaping this event," said Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State, Board Representative of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee and Director General - Bureau Dubai Expo 2020.

Two state of the art experience zones will be on display at Dubai Mall and JBR – The Beach from April 10 to 18 before visiting the other six emirates in the subsequent weeks.

The experiential zones will take visitors on a journey through the history of World Expos from the first edition in 1851 to Expo 2020 Dubai and the significance of hosting such an event on the eve of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee.  The zones will uniquely engage visitors via interactive screens and motion controlled sensor displays to enhance their awareness about the Expo, and how the UAE will benefit from the collective works of the community to make this a truly exceptional World Expo.

The Expo 2020 Dubai ‘For Everyone’ campaign site www.expo2020dubai.ae/for-everyone and the experiential zones will ensure visitors can explore a wealth of content including an interactive timeline of World Expos, an edutainment suite, virtual image galleries of the Expo 2020 Dubai site and pavilions through the ages as well as key information on Dubai’s World Expo.

In addition, three iconic sculptures in the shape of the current Expo 2020 logo will be on display throughout April in the emirate, at Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai Mall and JBR – The Walk. Each sculpture will have a dedicated iScreen allowing visitors to learn more about the project and share their thoughts via social media.

These three six-by-six metre-high Expo 2020 Dubai logos – one for each of the event’s subthemes, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability – are the transformation of the previous 21 Expo topic sculptures which were on display across the UAE during the month of March. They were conceived by leading global, regional and local artists and conceptualised to express the essence of Expo 2020 Dubai through the powerful medium of art.

The experiential zones and sculptures are the latest addition to Expo 2020 Dubai’s ‘For Everyone’ campaign, which is designed to build awareness about Expo 2020 Dubai and the rich history of World Expos, as well as provide a platform for people to collaboratively shape how Expo 2020 Dubai is for them, through dialogue and debate.

As part of the campaign, Expo 2020 Dubai is also currently running a competition for the country’s budding designers and artists to create the new logo for Expo 2020 Dubai. Any UAE resident or citizen with a desire to get creative is encouraged to be part of a defining moment in Dubai’s World Expo story by contributing a design.

The Expo 2020 Dubai Logo Design Competition will give one individual the chance for their creative flair to be seen by millions when the UAE plays host to the six-month mega event. The contest submission period runs until  April 30 via www.expo2020dubai.ae/logocompetition.

In November 2013, the UAE won the right to host the World Expo in Dubai in 2020.  This will be the first time that the World Expo is staged in the region. Since the first Great Fair of 1851, World Expos have continued to be one of the largest and most enduring global mega-events. Lasting six months, world expos attract millions of visitors who explore and discover pavilions, exhibits and cultural events staged by hundreds of participants including nations, multilateral organisations and businesses.

Dubai’s World Expo is held under the theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, echoing the powerful spirit of partnership and co-operation that has driven the UAE’s success in pioneering new paths of development and innovation. Through this theme, Expo 2020 Dubai will serve as a catalyst, connecting minds from around the world and inspiring participants to mobilise around shared challenges, during a World Expo of unprecedented global scope, under the sub-themes of: Opportunity, Mobility & Sustainability.

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