This mega event has been planned since 2013 when the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) announced Dubai as the host of 2020’s Expo. It can be a little difficult to wrap your head around this mega event, so we have answered all your questions right here in this Q&A.

What is Expo 2020?
Expo 2020 is a part of World Expo (earlier referred to as World’s Fair) where the world come together in one place to showcase their technical advance and new inventions, and establish connections between each other to promote export. Expo 2020 will be open and interesting to everyone, from the citizen to the politician and the business leader.

Is Expo 2020 in Dubai cancelled?
No, Expo 2020 is not cancelled. However, the exhibition was first scheduled to take place from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021 but was rescheduled due to the pandemic and is now taking place from the 1st of October 2021 to the 31st of March 2022.

When and where is Expo 2020?
Expo 2020 will be held in Dubai, UAE, from 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022. It was originally scheduled to open 20 October 2020 and continue til 10 April 2021 but was postponed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

How big is Expo 2020?
Expo 2020 is huge – both in impact on the world economy and export and in the actual physical space of the exhibition area. Expo 2020 will be held on an area twice the size of Monaco with 192 participating nations. This possibility to establish trading bonds with the rest of the world will be key for the participating nations and companies as we step out of the global pandemic. There are endless things to learn about Expo.

What is the theme of Expo 2020?
Connecting Minds, Creating the Future

How does it work?
The exhibition area is divided into three districts, each representing one of the sub themes of Expo 2020: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability. The three districts meet at the heart of Expo 2020 – the Al Wasl Plaza. 

Each participating nation has built their own pavilion in the district which best symbolizes their nation’s focus during the exhibition. In their pavilion the nations will bring a piece of their own country for the world to see. 

What can I expect as a visitor at Expo 2020?
Expo 2020 has something for everyone, from the foodie, to the tech-interested, the culture absorbed, the investor, and the curious mind. Here is the world literally all in one place, open for you to enjoy. 

Visitors will be able to enjoy guided and self-guided tours, concerts, performances, and creative experiences. The Expo 2020 committee has amongst other happenings teased about a Beethoven-inspired robo-band, an encounter with a giant sharp-toothed fish, yoga classes in Jubilee Park, and possibilities for alien contact. 

What will the Swedish pavilion be like?
The Swedish pavilion, named “The Forest” is inspired by the Swedish forests and is designed to bring you the calm and the nature from the nordic swinging pine trees.

Which are the mascots for Expo 2020 Dubai?
The mascots for Expo 2020 Dubai are:

Rashid – a nine year old boy with a passion for saving the environment.
Latifa – Rashid’s eight year old sister, the next Einstein in the making.
Alif – the Mobility Pavilion’s robot guardian.
Opti – the Opportunity Pavilion robot guardian.
Terra – the Sustainability Pavilion robot guardian.

Together the mascots go on all sorts of adventures around the Expo site, guarded by Salama, a wise ghaf tree who holds all ancient secrets and stories.

What will each participating country bring to Expo 2020?
This year’s Expo is the first one ever where every participating nation will build their own pavilion. The pavilions are to bring a piece of each nation to the visitors, gathering the whole world in one place. In the pavilions, the nations will display an exhibition showcasing their innovation, export, culture, history, etc. Every pavilion will be unique, creating an astonishing experience for the visitors.