The gates of the World Expo 2020, which runs until the end of March next year, have opened to visitors in Dubai. Nearly 200 countries are exhibiting on an area twice the size of Monaco, sixty of which including the Czech Republic, have built their own pavilions. The Expo's motto is about connecting ideas and creating the future. The exhibition has three sub-themes - sustainability, mobility and opportunities - each with its own pavilion. The one for sustainability is called Terra and the Czech pavilion called Czech Spring is located in this area, the office of the Commissioner General of the Czech participation in Dubai announced.
The Czech Republic will present itself as a country of nature, science and innovation. The main theme of the Czech stand is the Solar Air Water Earth Resource (S.A.W.E.R.) system. Using solar energy, it produces water from the air which will irrigate the garden around the Czech pavilion. In the arid Emirates with a hot climate, this is a hot topic.
The AP agency reports that the futuristic exhibition centre is located in an area that was desert just a few months ago. Now there's a new metro station and visitors are being watched by robots who scold those who forget to put on a face mask. The AP also points out that the multimillion-dollar pavilions, like most buildings in the Gulf countries, were built by poorly paid foreign workers.
Expo director general Rome Hashemi reckons that much of the infrastructure and buildings that were built for the Expo will be preserved. "It was never an option to invest just for the sake of the Expo, it was about building a new city, the city of the future. We are committed not to demolish the buildings that were built for the Expo," she told AFP, saying they will remain in place until 2040 and possibly 2050 to serve the future city.
The former fishing village of Dubai is now a regional hub in finance, transport and media and is renowned for its grandiose architectural projects. Hashemi said the Expo's focus is on technology and sustainability.
She said the Emirates are particularly interested in projects related to climate and environmental and agricultural technologies. They are concentrated in the Terra pavilion, which takes the form of a parabolic dish. It is powered by five thousand solar panels and recycles water.
It had to wait a year
The exhibition begins after a year's delay forced by the coronavirus pandemic. Visitors must wear masks and keep a safe distance. They must also have proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test.
The campus opened at 8 a.m (CEST). CT's correspondent David Borek reported from Dubai that the event was very organisationally demanding and some things were unclear until the last minute. However, the exhibition was successfully opened with an inauguration ceremony in the presence of invited guests on Thursday evening.
According to the correspondent Dubai wants to put this exhibition back on the map of world tourism which was crippled during the covid pandemic. It is therefore extremely significant for the residents, even though it does not directly affect their daily lives.
The site is easily accessible, covering four square kilometres and it can be difficult to orientate there.. The Reporter therefore recommends setting aside at least 1-3 days for a visit. After all, there are nearly two hundred exhibition halls for the size of a small city.
Replica space rockets and ropes made from plastic bottles
A replica of Space X's Falcon 9 rocket can be seen in the American pavilion which was paid for by the United Arab Emirates when the US had funding problems. A copy of a Koran that belonged to President Thomas Jefferson is also on display, which according to AP agency shows how much freedom of religion permeates American society.
In its lantern-shaped pavilion, China unveils a multifunctional car that may one day also function as a submarine or helicopter, according to Chinese automaker SAIC Motor.
Italy's pavilion is covered with "ropes" made from two million plastic bottles, and the main attraction is a 3D replica of Michelangelo's David. As nudity is banned in public places in the UAE and David is naked, visitors can view the statue either from the above floor at eye level of the 5.2 metre high statue or at David´s feet.
The UAE is represented at the exhibition by a falcon-shaped pavilion, inviting the visitor into a setting of dunes piled high with orange sand and footage depicting the country's 50-year history.
Six months from now, on March 31 next year, the Expo gates will close and organisers hope that at least twenty-five million people will pass through by then. A one-day ticket costs around 580 crowns, a 30-day ticket costs twelve hundred crowns.
Začala světová výstava Expo 2020. Poprvé ji hostí arabská země - CT24.cz