Many ask how often an expo is, and to answer that, World Expos are the oldest and largest international events on a global scale, taking place every five years with a duration of six months.
The United Arab Emirates hosted the 35th World Expo, the Expo 2020. Although Expo 2020 happened on October 2021 to March 2022, the name remained the same. Expo 2020 became the main attraction after the pandemic hit the world, and Dubai is situated perfectly geographically, connecting three continents, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
World Expo has always been a platform for nations to highlight their latest inventions and innovations. The Expo 2020 became the bridge for connecting minds and creating the future. Additionally, it’s for countries to gather and build pavilions that will bring their culture, history, and new technology into one event for people of different backgrounds to witness and experience. Through this, the hosting country boosts its public image and national prestige. And on a practical level, being the hosting country brings economic benefits like creating jobs, boosting tourism, and potential trade partners and investors.
World Expo in Dubai is the first in the MESEA region, but how often does an expo hosted by a single country? According to Bureau International des Expositions, there must be at least 15 years between any two Expos, namely World Expo and Specialized Expo, to be organized by the same country. So, there’s still a long way to go for Dubai or the United Arab Emirates to host another Expo, but let’s go back down memory lane of the Expo history. Only Paris has hosted the World Expo six times. In addition to Paris, Brussels has hosted four. To go deeper into the narrative, the first World Expo is known as The Great Exhibition, and it happened in London in 1851, even before the BIE. And the most attended World Expo was in Shanghai in 2010. These are just a few highlights of the history of the World Expos, officially known as International Registered Exhibitions.
Now, why is Expo essential? Leading nations apply for a candidature to be the host city or country of the World Expo. Aside from the tens of millions of visitors, how often is an expo responsible for the countries to connect and focus on finding solutions for the world’s pressing matters? It’s unlikely, and this is where World Expo comes in. It’s a global gathering that lets nations offer a journey to a miniature world with a universal theme and an immersive experience. The World Expo is organized around a theme to improve humankind’s knowledge and understanding, social endeavors, and focus on technology, scientific, economic, and social progress.
In the modern era, the World Expo is unparalleled in terms of size, scale, duration, and visitors. It is unrivaled as it offers education, engagement, progression, and connection of government entities and agencies, local and international institutions, and citizens globally. It has become a bridge to the gap between communities and businesses. It is also a celebration of achievements, aspirations, and exceeding commitments. An example is how Expo 2020 awarded AED 6.8 billion worthies of contracts to small and medium-sized enterprises, proving a significant contribution to a vital sector of Dubai’s economy, fulfilling a commitment made way back in 2016.How often will Expo provide these economic figures and heighten a country’s status? Honestly, it has no limit, especially in a progressive society. With that in mind, are you excited about Expo 2025 happening in Osaka?
