THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
Celebrations today to usher in One Year To Go for the world’s greatest show |
Excitement for Expo 2020 Dubai is reaching new heights as the UAE prepares to celebrate One Year to Go across all seven emirates today with everyone invited to join in the festivities.
Events around the country, including live performances in Dubai from global superstar Mariah Carey and acclaimed Emirati singer and Expo 2020 Ambassador Hussain Al Jassmi, will provide a taste of what visitors can expect when the world’s greatest show opens its doors on October 20, 2020.
Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “As we mark One Year to Go until the UAE welcomes the world to Expo 2020, these spectacular nationwide celebrations will usher in the final leg of a historic journey and a major achievement not only for Dubai, but for the entire UAE.
“The next 12 months will see us put the finishing touches to ensure an exceptional World Expo,” the minister said.
Tickets snapped up
All the tickets to the One Year to Go event in Burj Park, Downtown Dubai, which will also feature a special appearance by leading Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor and an eye-catching countdown at 2020 (8.20pm) on Burj Khalifa, were snapped up within two hours by people from 76 nationalities. Organisers stress that anyone without a ticket should not seek admittance at Burj Park.
Thousands more people can still join the celebrations elsewhere in the UAE, however, with free festivities taking place simultaneously from 1700 hours to 2200 hours in the other six emirates.
One hundred performing artists from 26 nationalities will keep the whole family entertained, while also highlighting the universal language of art and the global appeal of the next World Expo.
Each event will feature a wealth of delicious cuisines to suit all tastes, a craft area for kids and the chance to meet the Expo 2020 Mascots for the first time, as well as more details about what to expect at Expo 2020.
A live broadcast of the headliners as they perform in Dubai and the countdown LED show on Burj Khalifa will be streamed to the festivities in the other six emirates.
No single-use plastics
In line with Expo 2020’s subtheme of sustainability, singleuse plastic water bottles will not be sold at any of the celebrations.
Instead, Expo 2020 will provide free drinking water and 98 per cent biodegradable and compostable paper water bottles to all visitors, performers and staff. Visitors are also encouraged to bring their own reusable drinking bottles.
Organisers expect these measures will save over 100,000 plastic bottles across all events. This initiative is part of the ‘Be Water Wise’ campaign in collaboration with the UAE Water Aid Foundation, Suqia UAE, to combat water shortages in the region, keep the sea plastic-free and invest in solutions to help preserve the planet.