Dubai has passed on the World Expo baton to Osaka, Japan, having hosted the Greatest Show on Earth for millions of visitors over the course of six months,
Expo 2020 Dubai brought together over 190 participating nations, including multilateral organisations and academic institutions under the event’s theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.
The global event, which opened in October 2021, made history as the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.
His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and deputy prime minister and accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports, Emirates Airline Group and chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, attended the closing ceremony of Expo 2020 Dubai in Al Wasl Square, the heart of the six-month global event.
Osaka will host the next Expo in 2025.
His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, minister of tolerance and coexistence and commissioner-general of Expo 2020 Dubai said the event, “will remain engraved proudly in the memory of history, and the world, as one of our young country’s many achievements.”
His Excellency also thanked the thousands of volunteers and the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) for their efforts in presenting the event. He also highlighted the various events that had taken place at Expo 2020 Dubai, including the celebration of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee. “The UAE is looking forward to participating in Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai and sharing the unique and rich experiences gained from the organisation of the mega global event in Dubai,” Sheikh Nahyan added.
His Excellency Jai-chul Choi, president of the BIE General Assembly thanked the UAE leadership for its support and said the achievement had been made possible by the UAE’s dedication to hosting a “transformational and unifying event”. He added: “During this tumultuous period, Expo 2020 Dubai has been a beacon to remind us all that, to navigate these challenges, we must join together and work in unison.”
