Dubai’s Expo 2020 Pavilions Premiere is opening Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, one of the Expo’s signature experiences, to visitors ahead of the World Expo in October 2021.
The Expo 2020 Pavilions Premiere will offer visitors an opportunity to be among the first to experience Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, when it opens to the public from Jan. 22-April 10.
The Pavilions Premiere is a limited-time opportunity for visitors to preview Expo 2020’s Thematic Pavilions and will provide a glimpse of what is to come when Expo 2020 Dubai—the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region—welcomes the world from Oct. 1, 2021 -March 31, 2022.
Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, will open to the public from Jan. 22 while Alif – The Mobility Pavilion and Mission Possible – The Opportunity Pavilion will follow later in the first quarter of 2021. Pavilions Premiere bookings can be made at https://expo2020dubai.com/en/pavilions-premiere with each visit costing AED 25. Visitors are urged to book early as the experience will operate five days per week with limited operating hours and capacity restrictions due to enhanced health and safety measures.
Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation says, “We are delighted to start 2021 on such a positive note as we welcome the UAE community to be the first to experience Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion at a moment in our history that is unparalleled in terms of its impact on humanity.
“This period of rapid, unprecedented change has brought with it a pressing need to rethink the way we exist, and is further accelerated by a global health crisis that has touched each and every individual on Earth. While 2020 may be remembered as a year that changed us forever, it has also given us a tremendous opportunity to come together as a global society and find answers to our most pressing challenges.
“This remains the focal purpose of Expo 2020 Dubai and the vision of the UAE’s leadership, while our Thematic Pavilions – Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability – rally the call for collective action to tackle these challenges in order to create a better future for all humanity.”
Visitors in January will be able to explore Terra and enjoy the unique surrounding public spaces which include a children’s playground, gift shop, dining and more. Terra (which means “Planet Earth”) will offer an immersive journey through the wonders of the natural world, including an interactive walk through the roots of the forest, where every footstep affects the “wood-wide-web.” Uncovering the hidden harmful impacts of our choices, the emotive experience is designed to encourage visitors of all ages, and the younger generation in particular, to consider how their behavior impacts the environment and break the cycle of consumerism, empowering them to become agents of change.
A playful, exploratory experience, Terra will remain in legacy as a Science Center that will inspire sustainable choices for generations to come.
Marjan Faraidooni, chief experience officer, Expo 2020 Dubai explains, “Expo 2020 aims to be one of the most sustainable World Expos in history and supports the UAE’s efforts as a champion of green development, so it is fitting that our first visitors will enjoy a preview of the Sustainability Pavilion—an interactive and personal experience that will highlight the urgency of addressing some of the world’s greatest environmental challenges.
“Showcasing the opportunities that unite us and how we can work together to create positive change, Expo 2020 will empower visitors of all nationalities, ages and interests to make more sustainable choices in their own lives.”
The iconic pavilion, designed by the world-renowned Grimshaw Architects, sets an example for sustainable building design. Built to be net-zero for both energy and water, it features 1,055 photovoltaic panels arranged on a 130-metre-wide roof canopy and atop a series of “Energy Trees.” The pavilion also uses cutting-edge water-reduction strategies, water recycling and alternative water sources.
To manage capacity and provide an optimal experience, all visitors are required to make a timed-entry reservation in advance online. Walk-in tickets will not be available. The experience will be open from 3-9 p.m. on Tuesdays to Thursdays, and 4-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, from January 22-April 10. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit https://expo2020dubai.com/en/pavilions-premiere.
World Expos are platforms for collaboration, innovation and inspiration, and Expo 2020 will welcome more than 200 participants and millions of visitors, bringing the world together in a spirit of hope and optimism to help shape a better, more sustainable future for all.
About Expo 2020 Dubai
From Oct. 1, 2021-March 31, 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai will bring the world together in a spirit of hope and optimism and with a shared purpose towards solving some of our greatest challenges.
- It will showcase the greatest innovations, breakthroughs and ideas from around the planet, enabling action towards a better world under its theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”
- Expo 2020 will be an endless journey of discovery as more than 200 participants—including nations, multilateral organizations, businesses and educational institutions, as well as millions of visitors—harness their collective power to change the world for the better
- Expo 2020’s sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability will inspire visitors to make a conscious effort to think and live differently
- An entertaining global celebration with something for everyone, Expo 2020 will wow visitors with daily events, showcasing the best of technology, creativity and culture, while F&B outlets will feature cuisine from around the world
- The first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
- Built with a long-term legacy in mind, the Expo site is an example of innovation in action and will transform into District 2020, a blueprint for human-centric, smart and sustainable cities of the future, after Expo 2020 closes its doors
In 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centerpiece of London’s Great Exhibition—the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, “Industry of All Nations,” were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organizations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment. World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions, the intergovernmental organization responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (“Expos”) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of expos are organized under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialized Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano. For more info, visit www.expo2020dubai.com or http://bie-paris.org/ or on social media @Expo2020Dubai
