ISLAMABAD:Expo 2020 Dubai has lived up to its claim of being the mother of all expos by garnering the biggest international participation ever, a top Expo official has said.
Maha Al Gargawi, Senior Vice President of Political Affairs at Expo 2020, said the six-month-long world fair that opened on October 1, 2021, garnered around 200 million virtual visits and 200 plus participating countries and organisations.
“It is the highest number of international participants in the history of world expos. It has been quite an achievement and I think it really showcases what the United Arab Emirates is really capable of doing,” she said in an interview with Khaleej Times.
Expo 2020 Dubai, held under the theme Connecting Minds, Creating the future’ also brought together world leaders, organisations, businesses, thought leaders, academics and NGOs to address the pressing global challenges that need collective action.
Gargawi said Expo 2020 has cemented the UAE’s position as a global power and shows the strong bilateral relations the emirates enjoy with world nations.
“It (Expo) has reaffirmed Dubai’s and the United Arab Emirates’ position on the global map today. It really showcases what is possible and the transformation that happened in only 50 years. I think it also sets the tone with our partners, with the 192 nations, for the next 50 years,” Gargawi said .
“It is a reflection of the belief that all these nations worldwide have in a country that recently celebrated its Golden Jubilee. It is a reflection of what is possible in a country that is only 50 years old,” she said.
Gargawi said the success of Expo 2020 is a “perfect example of (the UAE’s) soft power.”
“The world believed in the UAE’s vision. The world believed in Expo 2020 theme “Connecting minds Creating the Future,” she said.