UAE event is worth experiencing in person
By Francesco Esposito
Dubai has been preparing for 4 solid years for the most important showcase event in the Gulf region, promoting well-defined, foundational concepts such as sustainability, mobility, and opportunity, using “Be part of the magic” as the slogan.
We found ourselves at the post-Covid Expo Dubai 2020, in an almost surreal atmosphere where people introduced us to the most ancient arts and crafts, combined with the technologies of the future. The perfectly organized event incorporates eccentrically pleasing pavilion design, which gives all participating cultures the prospect of showcasing their values, their strengths, and above all positive things worth investing in.
Regardless of the fact that Expo 2020 is being held in 2021 for obvious reasons, it pushes the visitor to invest not only in the ticket but also in the time spent on the visit itself. The value is associated with the time devoted to visiting the excellently-arranged pavilions, connected by a common thread of serenity and relaxation in coming together again. The exact opposite of what we had become used to over the past two years.
While it would be hard to say which pavilion is the best, we can say with satisfaction that the Italian pavilion is among the most beautiful and content-rich. We started with a well-defined foundation when it came to the artistic aspect, costumes, colors and culture in general.
In fact, one finds rich culture even in a place that symbolizes technological innovation: Arab culture with the predominant focus on showcasing the union of the individual emirates in the modern UAE, a land radically modified to make it as hospitable as possible.
In a constantly evolving city like Dubai, the event’s marketing and promotion structure will have to continue its intense promotion. It will be important to reactivate the soul of the city as an access point to all of the UAE and move towards a stable and sustainable future for families, which is currently still a work in progress.
Today, its role as a middle ground is more evident than ever. A center of cultural exchange and therefore also of business aimed at countries strongly influenced by China. Almost all developing countries, with heterogeneous levels of society, find a hospitable and common area of exchange here.
Dubai is also increasingly establishing itself as a capital for exchange with Africa, with added value in terms of technologies, and not only in management relationships.
The African pavilions at Expo 2020 helps us to better understand the continent’s cultures, also from an entrepreneurial point of view looking for solid returns, and not solely in the economic sense.
The part dedicated to hospitalization and school structures sees Dubai as a reference hub for individual African countries, which are starting to establish remote health care and education management, with autonomous, local structures growing to immediately compensate for the imminent need, but also with a long-term, structured program.
There are strong industries interested in the post-Expo 2020. They would like to work intensively in the UAE, and to be there to participate directly in supportive and sustainable growth in the MENA region.
An impressive level of attendance is expected; estimated at around 5 million visitors, hungry for technology, to revisit the past, and to be transported into a vision of the future. The number is not the peak that was forecast 4 years ago, but it’s being approached intelligently.
Residents of Dubai and neighboring areas are continually called to participate in the event as important witnesses for those who, from outside the country, are interested in attending but are still undecided. Visitors from abroad are expected mainly during the holiday season at the end of the year: that will really be the challenge for all of the UAE.
With Dubai as the main attraction, all of the Emirates are preparing for the development of important infrastructure (in Dubai alone, 36 new bridges with as many motorway arteries), to host a stratified culture in search of common ground and to establish itself in the business and social organization of the countries with which it interfaces.
This Expo2020 promises to be a concert of intentions towards humanity, central to the planet, in a very positive way.
The experience is effective for opening the mind, above all for entrepreneurs and students, who must design the rules for our future by observing and gathering information on forward-looking developments, above all in the growing service areas in companies that are still too tied to the trends associated with primary indicators.
The event is certain to favorably impress those who attend. Bon voyage, and enjoy the experience.