The Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, recently made a visit to the site where the country will host Expo 2020 along with his son, Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan, marking 450 days until the grand opening of the event which will be 6 months long.
Elated at the progress of the site, Sheikh Mohammed shared his excitement and confidence on Twitter, vowing that it would be the best the world has ever seen, "450 days remaining for Expo 2020 Dubai, with 190 countries leading the world towards a better future through their pavilions for the first time in the MEASA. We are ready and remain true to our promise of hosting the best Expo edition yet in its 168-year history."
2020 will be the first year that an Arab country will be hosting the 168 year old event. The UAE’s Emirate of Dubai won the bid to host the World Expo event back in 2013, and has been preparing ever since, outranking cities including, São Paulo (Brazil), Izmir (Turkey), and Ekaterinburg (Russia).
When Dubai’s ruler visited the site where the event is set to take place, he was greeted by Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy who discussed the progress of the preparation for the 6-month event. Sheikh Mohammed commended the event’s team for their work and encouraged "all national authorities to intensify their efforts to make the expo succeed." Speaking to WAM, the leader said, "We must all work hard to achieve success. Whatever people achieve without hard work, they lose without regret."
The World Expo has been a major platform for a variety of the world's most important inventions as they were first unveiled there. The international event has been known to change history, as stated by Manal Al Bayat, Chief Community Engagement Officer of Expo 2020 Dubai, to The National, "World Expos are famous for their groundbreaking architecture, from the Eiffel Tower in 1889 to the Space Needle in 1962.”
Dubai’s World Expo 2020 is set to attract over 25 million attendees to Dubai, and has footballer, Lionel Messi as its global ambassador.
