UAE pavilion at Expo 2012 to present development story to the world

The UAE has finalised preparations for the glittering opening on Saturday of its pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu, South Korea, which will run from May 12 to August 12, 2012 under the theme ''The Living Ocean and Coast''.

The UAE has combined eye-catching entertainment with informative videos that reveal the depths of the connections of the Emirati people with the world's seas and oceans.

Participating in Expo 2012 Yeosu will add to the presence of the UAE pavilion at previous World Expositions in Hanover, Lisbon, Seville, Syracuse and Shanghai.

Supervised and organised by the National Media Council (NMC), the UAE pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu is arranged into five key areas : The exterior facade featuring a 'timeline' and a special greeting, the 'pre-show' featuring many interactive presentations, games and documentaries, a 'sea tunnel', a themed theatre screening a mini-feature film and the 'post-show'.

UAE Ambassador to South Korea Abdullah Khalfan Al Rumaithi will open the Pavilion in the presence of a number of NMC official, organisers of the Pavilion, representatives of the Paris-based Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), top Korean officials and Korean and foreign media persons.

On Thursday, the NMC delegation made a soft opening of the UAE Pavilion which introduces the UAE development model to visitors from across the world.

The UAE Pavilion proved to be one of the most popular venues. Large queues quickly gathered outside the innovative facade of the building, complete with its graphic 'time-line' illustrating key stages in the nation's development. Video screens showing school children from the UAE displaying their fluency in Korean welcomed visitors.

This international Expo in South Korea, under the aegis of BIE, which is headquartered in Paris and responsible for managing the organisation of World Expos, has chosen 'Living Ocean and Coast' as its theme and the UAE Pavilion has closely followed that lead. Korean visitors gave a spontaneous applause to the 'The Turtle', main film of the UAE's Pavilion. Unaware that they were attending a 'world premiere' they were nevertheless moved by the message of the film and inspired by the strong performance of an impressive young Emirati actor, Ahmed Al Daheri, who previously featured in the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

In this short but very powerful film, Al Daheri discovers that you can't always make things right but you can always try! Devastated by the death of a turtle that had swallowed a plastic bag, he dreams of an ocean free from plastic pollution. Rallying his friends around him, he descends on shopping malls and other venues, persuading people to use recyclable bags. His message falls on fertile ground . . . and fiction morphs into fact! The Turtle will entertain thousands and will, hopefully, inspire many young people to follow their dreams.

Organisers say the UAE Pavilion presents the UAE successful story in management and development of marine environment and life. They add that engagement in such a prominent international gathering of nations doesn't only offer entertainment and knowledge but also urge and implore visitors as well as involved corporate sector to play a proactive role to ensure future of next generations through their commitment to better understanding, conserving and developing of t he marine environment.

Abdullah Al Aidarous, Deputy Commissioner General of UAE Pavilion, said the message of the biennial world expo in Korea is to focus attention of the international family to oceans, seas and coasts.

''Given the fact that oceans occupy about four-fifths of our planet's surface, we need to think more in terms of Planet Ocean' rather than Planet Earth," he added.

He indicated the participation of UAE in this Expo demonstrates the tremendous pioneering efforts the UAE is contributing to protect and conserve oceans.

"The UAE is keen to use the event, both as an opportunity to showcase the country's heritage and achievements within the marine-related sphere and as a platform to share with other countries the UAE's experiences for preservation of coastal environments in a rapidly developing setting,'' he said.

"Entertainment is an essential means to engage people with our message", stated Al Aidarous. "We want our visitors to have fun but we also want them to know that we are serious about supporting the Expo's call for maintaining the health of our oceans and coastline".

The UAE's marine-related economy, encompassing fisheries, industries, trade, tourism and leisure, accounts for a very significant portion of GDP. Archaeological evidence confirms that for millennia the sea provided a corridor for wide-ranging cultural communications and trade, together with essential food supplies and valuable commodities such as pearls. The pattern of human settlement in the land now occupied by the UAE has been one in which the coast has been of prime importance with nearly all the country's cities situated next to the sea.

The UAE Pavilion will entertain visitors in an engaging manner whilst informing them of some of the major issues that have been faced, and how these have been tackled. State-of-the-art interactive displays will present short movies on key subjects of natural interest, such as sharks, turtles, coral reefs, fisheries, mangroves and dugongs. Meanwhile a special six-minute film will take visitors on a quick tour of some broader topics as seen through Emirati eyes, including six new movie-chapters' titled: Celebrating Marine Life'; A Living from the Sea'; Connecting the World'; Energy for the Future'; ‘Enjoying the Sea' and Open to the World'.

The NMC said filming for these and other contents at the UAE Pavilion began in early January 2012in cooperation with key organizations such as the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi; Emirates Marine Environmental Group; Jumeirah Hotel Group; Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority; Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC); Abu Dhabi Police Helicopter Wing and others.

A love for the sea is a core characteristic of Emiratis, their maritime traditions of sailing, navigation, trading, fishing and pearl-diving being just as important as their better known links to deserts, camels, falcons and horses.

The UAE has won the membership of the higher steering committee of the International Exposition Yeosu Korea 2012 (Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea), becoming the only Arab and Muslim country to have such an honour.Winning the membership of this committee furthers the prominent stature the UAE enjoys at Expo events and reflects the success of the UAE Pavilion which latest presence was at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai in China.

The winning of the seat on the steering committee which was announced in Seoul at a meeting of commissioner generals added to the series of successes made by the National Media Council at previous World Expos.

''Participation in this exposition backs joint efforts by the UAE and South Korea to promote inter-cultural exchange between their two peoples and to promote each other's culture, heritage and achievements made throughout the past three decades, the NMC said.

The UAE will continue to participate in the World Expositions in order to make more achievements and take more opportunities to showcase the UAE's significant progress in various spheres, attract more tourists, businesses and investments and to expand friendship and relations with the rest of the world.

Visitors can enjoy quality exhibitions and interesting contents on the ocean as Yeosu will attract sea treasures from more than 100 countries and 9 international organizations.

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