{"id":5170,"date":"2022-01-16T10:48:25","date_gmt":"2022-01-16T10:48:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/everything-will-stay-4-38-sq-km-expo-2020-site-to-remain-as-a-hub-for-new-tech-innovation\/"},"modified":"2022-01-16T10:48:25","modified_gmt":"2022-01-16T10:48:25","slug":"everything-will-stay-4-38-sq-km-expo-2020-site-to-remain-as-a-hub-for-new-tech-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/everything-will-stay-4-38-sq-km-expo-2020-site-to-remain-as-a-hub-for-new-tech-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything will stay: 4.38 sq km Expo 2020 site to remain as a hub for new tech, innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everything will stay: 4.38 sq km Expo 2020 site to remain as a hub for new tech, innovation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Expo 2020 is a symbol of human solidarity that connected 192 nations at a \u2018difficult moment\u2019, and the pandemic has taught everyone to be humble about the uncertainties of what still may come, Reem Al Hashimi, Expo\u2019s Director General and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, has said.<\/p>\n

Speaking to CNN\u2019s Richard Quest on the \u2018Quest Means Business\u2019 programme, Al Hashimi said, \u201cThe pandemic hit everyone pretty strongly. When we had to delay for a year, I think it was an important moment for all of us. When I say us, I mean the international community but also the government of Dubai. How do we be responsible hosts? How do we bring the whole world together when you still in the middle of this?”<\/p>\n

While Dubai relied on its agility, clarity of vision, science-based approach, the minister said there was also a realisation that nothing can be taken for granted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think with Covid, one has to be really humble. You can\u2019t get ahead of yourself. You need to keep following day by day, learning more and more about it, consulting with the experts and not taking anything for granted, not least the incredible experience this place offers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Al Hashimi, who is at the helm of the \u2018world\u2019s biggest show\u2019 that opened its doors to the world on October 1, said Expo 2020 also reinforced that \u201cthrough collaboration, through strong connections, through the sharing of best practice, of knowledge, of information can we actually overcome some of these global challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

On visitor numbers<\/strong><\/p>\n

When asked whether there is a natural disappointment on the visitor numbers that \u201cit will not be what it could have been,\u201d the minister responded, \u201cActually No! No. No. I think, three months in the middle of this pandemic, to have nine million people come through\u2026 in a country that is only ten million residents and nationals strong. It is remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are still gearing towards better targets, stronger targets and more meaningful experiences for people. But this is exciting and special for those who come through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Expo 2020 Dubai has seen over 9.5 million visits in the period to 11 January, with the virtual visits touching a staggering 60 million.<\/p>\n

What next after Expo?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 438-hectare sprawling Expo site – estimated to be the same size as 600 football fields – will remain as a hub for new tech and innovation, said the minister. Sandwiched between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Al Hashimi said the site is a \u201cnatural sister of both Dubai and Abu Dhabi\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a very strongly tech-enabled, 5G tech incredible infrastructure. Everything that we built will stay. We have several country pavilions that will also stay. We have the conference and the exhibition over there. We have the Dubai metro coming all the way through. So, really a hub for new tech, a hub for innovation, and plans are already in place to roll this one out after 80 days when we close,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

After March when curtains will fall on Expo, 80% of its built environment will be transformed into an integrated mixed-use community called District 2020.<\/p>\n

Learning from Expo<\/strong><\/p>\n

The minister said the visitors who came from all over the world despite the pandemic gave her and her team \u201clot of strength.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey (visitors) are excited, they are exploring. They are having a great time and they are responsible. And I think that, we derived a lot of strength from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Al Hashimi said she and her team also grew and understood more about themselves and the challenges of hosting a mega event. \u201cI think we have all grown\u2026 all of us. I mean my team for sure. I am one of them. I think perspective\u2026 to really get a strong sense of perspective, of resilience. some of us can handle the pressure, some of us can’t. And that is not bad or good. That is the way our constitution is made up.\u201d<\/p>\n

During moments of difficulties, she said she picked herself up and relied on her team and on the country\u2019s leadership \u201cwho have always been with us and their conviction in us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Building multilateralism<\/p>\n

Al Hashimi said she has built \u201cincredible relations\u201d with countries that are at Expo, and she wants to visit some of them. \u201cI will continue to grow and continue to bring value to us as Emiratis and as the UAE but also, to what multilateralism means and what international collaboration means,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

With 80 more days to go, Al Hashimi said she won\u2019t take anything for granted. \u201cWe are humble at the face of what may still come, and we honour every moment of having the privilege of being the host.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the end of March once the Expo is over what will she do? \u201cI will take a nice break,\u201d the minister said but quickly adding that she will come back to serve her nation, her government, and her family.<\/p>\n

Source: <\/strong>Khaleej Times<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Everything will stay: 4.38 sq km Expo 2020 site to remain as a hub for new tech, innovation Expo 2020 is a symbol of human solidarity that connected 192 nations at a \u2018difficult moment\u2019, and the pandemic has taught everyone to be humble about the uncertainties of what still may come, Reem Al Hashimi, Expo\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travel-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5170"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5170\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.silverbirdsafari-africa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}