The United Arab Emirates has united to celebrate the fact that there is just one more year until the biggest event to ever take place in the region, Expo 2020, will begin.
Spectacular events have been held in all of the emirates to mark the important milestone and offer a glimpse of what is to come next year.
Celebrations in Burj Park in the downtown of Dubai were headlined by Expo 2020 Ambassador and acclaimed local singer Hussain Al Jassmi as well as international superstar Mariah Carey.
The audience was treated to hourly sets featuring the singers’ greatest hits.
At 8:20pm at Burj Khalifa, an amazing LED and fireworks display officially launched the one-year countdown to 20th October 2020.
This is when the biggest event that the Arab world has ever seen will commence.
It is set to carry on for 173 days of family fun, innovation and inspiration.
A number of incredible events were held between 5:00pm and 8:00pm in the other emirates.
Those events took place at Louvre Abu Dhabi, Ajman Museum, Al Qawasim Corniche in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah Fort, Umm Al Quwain Corniche, and Sharjah’s Al Majaz Waterfront.
All of the celebrations were family-friendly and free of charge, and were indicative of the growing pride and excitement in the UAE over its hosting of the very first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa region.
Each event drew busy crowds and featured a number of figures from the blossoming cultural scene in the UAE, including musicians, poets and painters.
There were also lives treams of the headline acts in Dubai, children’s craft areas, excellent food and much more.
The executive director of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, says that the event was a great moment for the country following the launch of their new campaign promoting Expo 2020 last week.
Al-Ali says that the show gave all of the UAE and the rest of the world a look at what will be offered at Expo 2020 Dubai in less than 12 months, and demonstrated why everyone is going to want to be present for such a landmark moment in UAE history.
More star power at Burj Park was provided by an appearance from Shraddha Kapoor, a Bollywood actress and singer.
Another five singers based in the UAE performed specially written songs for the celebrations.
This collaboration is to be included in Musical Encounters, a documentary that is set for release soon.
There were performances from as many as 100 artists from 26 nationalities across the whole of the UAE, highlighting the modern multicultural society and rich talent in the nation in addition to Expo 2020’s worldwide appeal.
A total of 192 nations are set to participate in Expo 2020, with 25 million visitors expected.
Anyone wanting to travel to the UAE to attend Expo 2020 should take out travel insurance to ensure that they are financially protected from unexpected events such as illness and cancelled flights.
