Press Release: World Expo 2020: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Press Release
from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
25 August 2016
World Expo 2020: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas has decided to participate in the World Expo 2020, which will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), October 2020 – 10 April 2021.
In preparing for its participation in the Expo, the Government has established a National Committee for the Expo, comprised of governmental agencies, academia, the private sector and civil society. The Chair of the National Committee is the Director General of the Foreign Service, Ms Sharon Brennen-Haylock. The Bahamas has also appointed a Commissioner General of The Bahamas Pavilion,Ambassador – designate TonyJoudi, who is also The Bahamas’ appointed Ambassador to the UAE and Qatar.
Participation in the Expo is a monumental step for The Bahamas, and early preparations have commenced in order to ensure the most effective results possible.
The Theme of the Exposition is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, representative of UAE’s vision that this is a way to bring nations and people closer, through collaborations and partnerships towards building a better world. Under the umbrella of the main theme, Expo 2020 has three (3) subthemes, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai is scheduled to coincide with the United Arab Emirates’ Golden Jubilee, celebrating the nation’s 50th anniversary of being founded. The Jubilee will be an opportunity to celebrate the UAE’s 50 year journey toward progressive human and economic development. It is expected that over one hundred and eighty (180) countries around the globe will participate in Expo 2020. Some twenty-five (25) million visitors are expected at EXPO 2020.
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas has accepted the invitation and ultimately the challenge of once again putting The Bahamas on the World Stage, in a region of the world that presents great opportunity for the country’s economic growth and development. The Expo will providea tremendous opportunity for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to put on exhibition its culture, and positions the country to benefit from business opportunities, new technologies, commerce, tools and most importantly tourism.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has solicited the assistance of the College of The Bahamas and its students to produce an innovative construction design for The Bahamas’ Pavilion in Dubai. For the first time in the history of the World Expo, each country will have an independent national pavilion reflecting their distinctive identity, culture, national priorities and achievements, while also showcasing how they are tackling current major challenges.
The Construction Design Competition will be open to Students of the College of The Bahamas, affording young Bahamians the opportunity to demonstrate their talent and actively contribute to the shaping of their country, while gaining national and international exposure.
Additionally, Expo 2020 has also made provision for a competition through ‘Expo Live’ programme, to permit proposals to be submitted for ideas of all types that aim to create partnerships, incentivise new solutions or scale up existing solutions that could benefit the lives of millions of people around the world.Expo live is open to innovators, inventors, and all persons with a dream or good idea that may aspire to develop and share. This one hundred million (100 M) Euros programme will provide grants to projects and initiatives that encapsulate the spirit of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” in the three sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability. Proposals are to be submitted directly via the “Expo Live” website.
In the upcoming week a web-link will be made accessible via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and Facebook page that will direct aspiring applicants to the ‘Expo Live’ webpage where they will receive further instructions regarding application submission. Eventually a national Expo 2020 website will be launched.