Dubai opened its doors tonight (September 30) to the world with a star-studded ceremony of fireworks, music and messaging about the power of global collaboration for a more sustainable future, marking the launch of of Expo 2020 Dubai, the largest cultural event to ever take place in the Middle East.

 

Stars headlining the opening ceremony, which was projected in public spaces around the UAE, included Italian tenor singer Andrea Bocelli, Grammy-nominated, Golden-Globe-winning actress, singer and songwriter Andra Day; platinum-selling British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding; international mega-star pianist Lang Lang; four-time Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo and Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu, reported Reuters.

 

 A 1,000-strong cast and crew are involved in presenting the 90-minute lavish opening ceremony streamed live to more than 430 locations across the UAE, giving everyone the chance to participate in the spectacle, wherever they might be.

 

The roster of streaming locations for the opening ceremony includes more than 240 hotels nation-wide, including Emaar’s Rove, Armani, Address Hotels & Resorts, and Vida Hotels & Resorts, as well as Accor, Marriot, Hilton, IHG, Rotana, Jumeirah, Hyatt International and Atlantis the Palm.

 

This will be followed a night later by three spectacular fireworks displays in Dubai, marking the first full day of the Expo in a spectacular visual celebration commemorating the journey from winning the bid in 2013 to the opening.

 

Screens have been set up in locations ranging from airports and shopping malls to hotels and other landmarks, relaying the incredible music and cultural performances as they happen.

 

The fireworks displays will take place on Friday evening, kicking off at 20:20, at Dubai Festival City, the Frame and the Pointe, Palm Jumeirah, with each presenting their own unique celebrations.

 

Dubai is hoping to boost its economy by attracting 25 million business and tourist visits to the world fair which has been built from scratch on 4.3 sq km of desert.

 

Many countries and companies are also looking to the expo - the first major global event open to visitors since the coronavirus pandemic - to boost trade and investment, stated the report.

 

The full expo site will open its doors to exhibitors from almost 200 countries on Friday after being delayed for a year by the pandemic. Chosen eight years ago to follow the 2015 Expo in Milan, Italy, the event cost around $6.8 billion.

 

Dubai says it wants the Expo, an exhibition of culture, technology and architecture under the banner "Connecting Minds and Creating the Future", to be a demonstration of ingenuity, and a place where global challenges such as climate change, conflict and economic growth can be addressed together.

 

One of the first global mega-events to take place since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Expo 2020 runs from tomorrow (October 1) to March 31, 2022, inviting visitors from around the world to join the making of a new world and experience a six-month journey of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.