São Paulo – After 182 days of event, Expo 2020 Dubai closed its activities this Thursday (31). The first universal exhibition in an Arab country received over 23 million visitors and hosted more than 35,000 events between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022. According to The National newspaper website, data refers to records until March 29, and the organizers have not yet released the total balance.
The closing ceremony featured concerts by cellist Yo-Yo Ma of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World,’ as well as singer Norah Jones and pop star Christina Aguilera.
According to The National, the message given to the public by Dubai’s rulers was that the event’s closing does not conclude the journey of Expo 2020. “Today is not the end of Expo 2020, but a new beginning,” said Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, in a recording.
The mega-event had the participation of 192 countries. Brazil had its pavilion in the Sustainability District. The space received shifting exhibitions and held activities such as cooking shows with renowned chefs from different country regions, such as Thiago Castanho, who cooked typical dishes from the Amazon. The Brazil pavilion was also the stage for promoting the country’s culture, with events such as book launches by Brazilian authors living in the UAE.
Expo 2020 Dubai also dedicated specific days to celebrate different countries, including Brazil. The exhibition featured forums and lectures devoted to topics such as agriculture, technology, and culture. It provided visitors with a gastronomic journey to different parts of the world on the same day through restaurants and cafes throughout the exhibition.
Among the pavilions visited by the ANBA team were Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Morocco, DP World, and Qatar.
The venue that received tourists from all over the world will now be transformed into District 2020. The idea is to turn the space into a legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai, which will become a city-neighborhood after the exhibition’s end. The plan is for the district to continue growing throughout its phases and, in up to 30 years, have a population of 150,000.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
