After being postponed for a year due to a pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai is finally set to begin with the participation of Morocco represented both individually and through a pavilion bearing its name.
The 35th of Expo 2020 Dubai will be held in the United Arab Emirates from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, with the participation of Morocco. For the first time in the 170-year history of the World’s Fairs, almost all the countries of the African continent will be represented, both individually and through a pavilion dedicated to the African Union.
Beyond the potential economic benefit, for the United Arab Emirates, hosting the exhibition is a way to position itself as a country of influence on the international stage and to strengthen their political and economic presence on the African continent.
With an estimated allocated budget of $ 8.7 billion, this is not a cheap event to host, but if successful, it is expected to generate up to $ 17.7 billion in revenue for Dubai.
Expo 2020 Dubai, a boon for Africa
The theme chosen by Dubai is “Connecting minds, building the future”, broken down into three sub-themes: opportunity, mobility, sustainability, embodied by three eponymous districts which will house the exhibition pavilions. The Morocco pavilion will be located in the “Opportunity” district, near the host country pavilion.
For the African continent, the exhibition is a real opportunity, as a myriad of countries wish to deepen their links with Africa. With its Agenda 2063, a 50-year plan to see an “integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens”, the African Union stands ready to use the exhibit to show that the continent is a dynamic force on the continent. international scene.
Aspiring for an Africa without borders, whose peoples see themselves first and foremost as Africans united by a common heritage, culture and values, the African Union pavilion will highlight Africa’s potential and ambitions, showing a new face of the exciting, young and modern continent.
A spectacular architectural creation
From an architectural point of view, the event will be spectacular, the Moroccan pavilion being a vertical earthen village that offers a view of the whole event from its roof. The Morocco pavilion offers a rich program of participatory content on social networks. From October 1, 2021 and for the duration of the exhibition, a new device will be deployed, including a rich artistic and cultural program, which will involve the general Moroccan public from here and elsewhere.
With an indoor area of 3,500 m2, the Morocco pavilion will offer a surprising experience that is both informative, immersive and participatory. “The visit, conceived as a stroll around a central patio, will give access to 13 rooms on 7 floors, each presenting a unique universe: a scenographic experience with didactic scope, an artistic experience with an inspiring vocation”. The pavilion will also host a conference room, a B2B area, a VIP area, a gourmet restaurant, a street food store, a herbal tea room and a shop.
In search of new markets
Morocco, during the six months of its exhibition, will offer a cultural and artistic program that will include exhibitions, performances, shows, concerts, events, parades, promoting the cultural diversity of all regions of the Kingdom. Highlights are planned, with the highlight of the National Day of Morocco, December 26, 2021, the date on which the country will be honored.
To overcome the great challenges of this generation, Morocco will offer, in its pavilion, conferences, workshops and meetings around themes such as innovation, the climate challenge, sustainable agriculture and the cities of the future.
This program is Morocco’s ambition to share its concrete achievements, and to share its know-how in this area with visitors and participants in the exhibition.
Expo 2020 Dubai also promotes the creation and strengthening of partnerships, access to new markets and the development of investments. With a dedicated VIP lounge, a gourmet restaurant and event spaces, the Morocco Pavilion will be a privileged place for B2B meetings and events between institutional and economic decision-makers from all over the world.
Safety first
Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai, including Moroccans, must prove that they have received a coronavirus vaccine or have undergone a recent PCR test to be allowed entry to the site when it opens.
The exhibition delivery authority on Wednesday issued new Covid-19 guidelines for visitors to the event ahead of its opening on October 1.
Visitors will be required to show proof of any vaccine recognized by their own national government or a negative PCR test performed within the previous 72 hours.
Unvaccinated ticket holders who have not been tested within the 72 hour period can take the test at the PCR testing center adjacent to the Expo 2020 site.
The Expo plans to make PCR testing free for ticket holders – the one-day or multi-day pass to the Expo – at one of the networks of testing centers across the city, which will be available on the Expo 2020 website. Expo 2020 Dubai will be the largest global gathering since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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