Dubai – A little Emirati girl receives an antique gold ring from a wise older man. The ring is a symbol of both the UAE’s past and a future built through human connection. As he lifts the great ring, it sets off a colorful light show representing a mosaic of humanity, a blend of world cultures in an artistic vision of harmony.
And so began the story of the Expo 2020 opening ceremony, which brought a message of tolerance, unity, and hope for a better future for all. The ring is the symbol of the Expo. The on-site opening event was exclusively for guests, about 3,000 people, including authorities and celebrities. Millions of people from all over the world watched it live over the internet.
The press was allowed to enter the Expo area, but only until the entrance, a sort of red carpet where guests passed through — without an actual carpet, but with musical and cultural performances by Emirati artists — and around the Al Wasl square, the central dome where the show took place. It was possible to follow the unique experience of light, music, and fireworks of the show up close at the site.
The temperature at 7:00 pm in Dubai was 33 degrees, and it stayed that way until midnight. No wonder the show and much of the schedule occur during the night in this first moment of the Expo, as Dubai has “milder” temperatures compared to daytime, which has a lot of sun and heat, with thermometers staying around 38 degrees.
The event began with speeches by local authorities, such as the crown prince and president of the Executive Council of Dubai, Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. “Today, the whole world unites in the United Arab Emirates. Today, we witness a new beginning together as we open Expo 2020 Dubai,” he said.
Then spoke Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, minister of Tolerance and Co-existence of the UAE and general commissioner of Expo 2020 Dubai. In his speech, he highlighted the first Emirati participation in an Expo, in 1970, in Osaka, Japan, which took place a year and a half before the formation of the UAE.
“In the year that marks the UAE’s Golden Jubilee [50th anniversary of its founding], we share with the world what we’ve learned, especially that by connecting minds, we can achieve unimaginable feats,” said Al Nahyan.
Nahyan also pointed out 192 countries are gathered, each represented in its pavilion, something unique in the 170-year history of world fairs. He said the fact they are all together, with all the challenges the world is facing, is proof of the country’s commitment and desire to create a better world for all.
“By hosting Expo 2020 Dubai, we want to convey a message of tolerance and that we are willing to collaborate with the whole world,” he said.
The show had the participation of local and international artists, a live orchestra, choreographies with the flags of all participating countries around the stage, fireworks, and magnificent projections on the dome, with many colors, images of the world map, kaleidoscope colors, flowers, and butterfly gardens, to list a few moments.
The little girl then started a journey through the ideal world, representing sustainability, mobility, and opportunity – the three districts of Expo 2020. She gains self-confidence and is rewarded with the golden seed of humanity, plants it in the Earth, and Al Wasl Square gains a burst of life with a beautiful garden.
The other presentations also brought district themes, with projections such as the seabed and planet Earth with surrounding stars.
The hero of the story takes us to the center of this garden, a symbolic representation of paradise on Earth. So we learn when human potential and hope come together, a garden of possibilities blossoms.
Andrea Bocelli’s show, which closed the event, thrilled the audience. A large tree appeared on the center stage where the tenor performed, the fruit of the seed planted by the little girl. In the end, she took the singer to the stage, and all the other artists gathered to close the ceremony, conveying a message of unity, including people from all communities, ages, and abilities.
Only then can we find the perfect garden.
The girl herself represents this union of cultures, as 12-year-old Mira Singh was born in Dubai to a Belarussian mother and Indian father.
After the end of the show, ANBA had access to the central dome and witnessed the joy of the Expo team, celebrating the end of the ceremony – only the beginning of a memorable event. About a thousand people worked on the opening. On the way out of the exhibition, an unexpected encounter. Reem Al Hashimy, minister of State for International Cooperation and director-general of Expo 2020 Dubai, took photos with employees and guests.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
