India will have one among the foremost strategic pavilions at the Dubai Expo 2020 which will aim to foster solutions to the world’s biggest challenges, United Arab Emirates ambassador Ahmed AlBanna said on Thursday.
The Indian pavilion is crucial, both in terms of location and size, for the expo that’s expected to draw 25 million visitors, the envoy told a media briefing. Each Indian state are going to be given a chance to showcase its economy and culture at the pavilion.
The expo, which was postponed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will begin on October 1 and run till March 31, 2022. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will supervise the Indian pavilion, which can be retained and travel by the Indian government even after the expo.
The theme for the expo is “Connecting minds, creating the future”, and therefore the event has the sub-themes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability. The sub-themes are aimed toward unlocking the potential of communities to shape the longer term , creating smarter and more productive movement of individuals , goods and concepts , and living in balance with the planet .
AlBanna said the UAE had eased Covid-19-related travel restrictions on all Indian nationals holding visit, tourist or work visas about fortnight ago. A mechanism has also been created for expediting the issuance of visas of all categories, he said.
The envoy highlighted the importance of cooperation between India and therefore the UAE in key sectors like IT, education and healthcare for shaping the longer term of both countries. These factors also are important for creating the proper workforce within the aftermath of the pandemic, he said.
AlBanna said the expo also will boost a key goal of the UAE and India – boosting the normal people-to-people interactions between the 2 countries.
FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy said India will have a robust participation within the 11 theme weeks of the expo which will specialise in urban development, water, space, tolerance and inclusivity, climate and bio-diversity and health.
AlBanna said Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had made a robust commitment to the success of the expo. Modi conveyed his best wishes for the expo during a phone conversation with UAE prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Two-time Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman will mentor and creatively lead the Firdaus Women’s Orchestra and put his name to a studio at the expo site. The studio will remain post-event and boost Dubai’s arts credentials as a world music hub.
