The Farewell Melody of Expo 2020 Dubai

Written by Dr. Hamada Alantably

The curtain has fallen on Expo 2020 Dubai, the most prominent and largest global event hosted by Dubai over the course of six months. During this period, it welcomed over 23 million visitors since its launch on October 1st of last year. This global event successfully brought together more than 192 countries, alongside international organizations, in a single location within the Emirate of Dubai across a total area of 4.38 square kilometers. The site was divided into three main districts—Mobility, Sustainability, and Opportunity—with each district reflecting its thematic focus through its goals and offerings. It was truly a global event of the first magnitude in the region, adopting the slogan “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”

From the very first moment you step foot onto the Expo site and pass through one of its gates, you find yourself opening a window to the future. Every centimeter in Expo carries a message about the future, pushing you to engage with its every detail and mechanism. At Expo, you encounter robots interacting with you, playing games to bring joy and fun, while other robots provide services, guide you along paths, ensure compliance with precautionary measures, and handle security. Additionally, Talabat delivery robots serve food, signaling the dawn of the future—because, as the saying goes, “Predicting the future is not magic; it is artificial intelligence.” Expo managed to put the future right in your hands.

On the other hand, Expo offered flavors reflecting the customs, traditions, and cultures of the various countries with pavilions there. You could taste any type of cuisine from anywhere in the world, alongside “Future Flavors”—a restaurant that takes you on a journey across time to taste the food of the future. Not only that, but Expo also presented food to the world through the “Talabat” window via a cloud kitchen offering dishes for every taste, which you could order through a mobile app for a robot to deliver right to you.

As for Al Wasl Plaza, it was truly the focal point that cemented communication among all civilizations. The main stage of Al Wasl Plaza welcomed thinkers, opinion makers, musicians, performers, and various cultural expressions that embodied the immense cultural diversity brought together by Expo. Furthermore, it witnessed the National Day celebrations of all 192 participants in this global event, alongside international events reflecting humanity in its past, present, and future.

If you wanted to explore any country, all you had to do was visit its pavilion to find a piece representing that nation and carrying its message to the world. Upon entering, you could discover its culture, history, and future vision. Thus, Expo spared you the trouble of travel, bringing the world to you in one place. All you needed was an Expo passport to collect an entry and visit stamp for that country.

Regarding the educational and development opportunities provided by Expo, it served as a fertile ground for all kinds of sciences. Students and researchers were able to acquire knowledge, meet scientists and thinkers, and drink from the well of their expertise and intellect. Beyond that, they could hone their capabilities through the practical application of theoretical sciences learned in classrooms, making it a truly comprehensive educational arena.

Entertainment was certainly not absent from Expo; family members of all ages found an exceptional opportunity to get the leisure and fun they needed. It became a family gathering place where people of all nationalities could enjoy their time safely and with complete freedom, ensuring everyone could listen, participate, and have a wonderful time.

On the governmental and political levels, world leaders and policymakers gathered at Expo to express the hopes and aspirations of the world’s peoples and contribute to shaping the future. Officially and through direct meetings with the government of the United Arab Emirates, Expo welcomed world leaders, in addition to hosting official meetings of the UAE government. Moreover, Expo served as the venue for numerous global summits, the latest of which was the “World Government Summit,” reinforcing the global standing and direction that Expo worked to achieve from the moment it was an idea until it became a reality actively shaping the future, utilizing its tools, and embracing its commitments.

This event was truly a challenge in which the UAE achieved unparalleled success, particularly during an exceptional period experienced by the entire world in the wake of the COVID-19 repercussions, when the world went into lockdown while Expo kept its doors open to the global community. Consequently, Expo 2020 Dubai became a heavyweight in the equation of global events, setting a high bar for whoever comes after it. This event served as the world’s gathering place and successfully lived up to its slogan, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” as every thinker and knowledge-seeker found the opportunity to contribute in their own way to shaping the future.

Thus, the final day felt like the closing notes of a magnificent symphony composed and written by Emirati hands that forged a new history and added a gleaming line of glory to the achievements of their nation and leaders in shaping the future and their continuous drive for progress and leadership.

By Dr. حماده العنتبلي (Hamada Alantably)