The Great Exhibition, held in London in 1851, inaugurated World Expos as the hallmark events of a world aspiring to strengthen its connections, celebrate its cultural diversity and marvel at its technological wonders.
Today, World Expos remain a key meeting point for the global community to share innovations and make progress on issues of international importance such as the global economy, sustainable development and improved quality of life for the world’s population.
Every five years, World Expos attract millions of visitors who explore and discover pavilions, exhibitions and cultural events staged by hundreds of participants including nations, international organisations and businesses.
Each World Expo is a catalyst for economic, cultural and social transformation and generates important legacies for the host city and nation. For instance, Shanghai 2010 World Expo helped transform a heavily industrial city-centre area into a thriving cultural and commercial district while also bringing its theme “Better City, Better Life” to the attention of 73 million people.
The next World Expo takes place in Milan, Italy, in 2015. The focus: “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”
Italian Premier Enrico Letta on visits to Abu Dhabi and Dubai struck a bundle of agreements with authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for progress in upcoming world fairs in the two countries, trade, tourism and energy.
Two agreements signed in Dubai concern Universal Expositions Milan Expo 2015 and Dubai Expo 2020 to lower customs barriers between the two countries for the next two world fairs.
In keeping with the effort to use Milan Expo 2015 as a platform for trade and policy promotion, an agreement signed in Abu Dhabi between Gruppo Cremonini Inalca and the UAE sovereign fund Emirates Advanced Investment Group will create an innovative technological platform to import and distribute Italian agrifood products in the Gulf and throughout the Middle East.
The theme of Milan Expo 2015 is ‘’Feeding the planet,” which runs May 1 to October 31 next year, and deals with food security, combating hunger, and promoting environmentally, socially and economically sustainable global food production practices. A fourth agreement deals with city water treatment and environmental protection, opening cooperation in public bids between the two countries.
The next milestone will be building the UAE’s pavilion at the Milan Expo next year. A working demonstration of the UAE’s Masdar City – an entirely sustainable, clean-energy enclave – will be on show at Milan Expo 2015, where the UAE’s pavilion will be built following sustainability principles such as rainwater recovery, recycled materials and solar panels, demonstrating the relationship between water, food and energy. Long, winding 12-metre-high sand-textured walls will recreate the region’s sand dunes. A revolving theatre and an oasis are part of the dramatic pavilion planned for the Italian world fair.
Story-telling was a vital ingredient in UAE offerings, said Peter Vine, the Director of the UAE pavilion project in Milan. “The pavilion will celebrate the UAE and tell the story of its remarkable growth. Visitors will also meet Emirati ambassadors who will be the conduit for telling the stories about how the UAE has grown.”
Courtesy ANSAmed & The National