Celebrations mark one-year countdown to Expo
CAREY AND AL JASMI HEADLINE NATIONWIDE CELEBRATIONS AS PART OF ONE YEAR TO GO ACTIVITIES ACROSS UAE
The one-year countdown to Expo 2020 kicked off across the UAE last evening, offering a glimpse into next year’s expo, known as the ‘World’s Greatest Show’.
American singer Mariah Carey and Emirati singer Hussain Al Jasmi headlined the nationwide celebrations at Burj Park, as part of Expo 2020’s One Year to Go (1YTG) activities across all seven emirates.
One attendee was Sara Al Boom, an Emirati digital media manager at Dubai Cares, who has been watching the Expo 2020 campaign evolve since the city won the bid in November 2013.
“I’ve been following the Expo story since the day Dubai got the bid, and I think it’s remarkable how the past seven years have gone by and how the entire city is now very much in tune with the concept of Expo and what Dubai is trying to push towards,” said the 27 year old.
“I can’t believe there’s just one year left until we actually host the Expo. I’m really excited to see what the city has to offer and the flow of visitors from across the world. It’s really exciting personally as an Emirati to be able to see the city grow and be able to actually see what Expo is all about.”
Al Boom was also anticipating seeing the Grammy-winning Carey for a second time
— and celebrating her sister’s birthday. “I wanted to share this experience with her,” she added.
Meanwhile, three UAE-based American educators — Elle Shauntae, 34, J. Lee, 37, and Ka-Aja Brown, 32 — had big hopes for what the Expo 2020 experience would offer.
“I’m a fan of Mariah, but I’m also very interested in the Expo 2020, so this being the oneyear kick off, that’s very exciting. I’m looking forward to the inventions, because new things happen at different Expos, so at 2020, we’re expecting spaceships and things of that nature. So, I’m looking forward to the spaceships,” said Shauntae, who is from Atlanta by way of Mississippi.
Lee, however, was looking forward to “the flying cars.”
“Expo 2020 should be an awesome thing for Dubai. Dubai is already this beautiful, magical place and it’s going to be even more wild and beautiful during the Expo,” he said.
Brown added: “I think it’s going to be grand. Everything is going to be finished and Dubai is going to be even way more beautiful than what it is now.”
Carey and Al Jasmi delivered a memorable performance for their diverse fans at the Downtown Dubai venue
Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor then took the stage with host and Emirati social media personality Khalid Al Ameri. Simultaneously last night, family-friendly activations were taking place across every emirate.