Expo 2020 Booklet English

Connecting Minds, Creating the Future

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Since 1851, World Expos have provided significant opportunities to unite people from across the globe and to engage the world community in a shared project.

Our Bid to host the 2020 World Expo reflects the spirit of our nation and is informed by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

All five cities bidding to host the 2020 World Expo come from emerging markets, and this is significant. It is reflective of the shifts in global trade flows that we see today, and provides a clear indication about the future of the world and the increasing importance of emerging markets on the global stage.

Dubai itself is now a gateway to Africa, particularly for Chinese companies, and its role as Indias principal international trade hub cannot be underestimated there are more flights from India to Dubai than to anywhere else in the world, and more than 300 flights weekly from Dubai to India. Today, Dubai is also directly connected to destinations throughout Latin America, including Brazil which until recently was a 30-hour flight routed through Europe, but can now be completed in just half the time.

However, these connections do not just tell a story of global trade flows. More importantly, they speak to the heart of development and its transformative effects, fundamentally offering more and better opportunities for those living in the emerging markets.

This part of the world is not only an emerging market, but its demographic is primarily young. This new generation is dynamic, full of energy and enthusiasm and willing to play a positive role in shaping the world that also shapes them.

Our theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future will ensure a truly rewarding and enduring World Expo 2020 experience. As my father, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, once said, connected thinking is the best hope for progress, and for successful and peaceful existence in the generations to come.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai

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Contents04 What is the World Expo?

05 Fun Facts

05 United Arab Emirates Participation in Expos

06 Dubais Role on the World Stage

07 Snapshot of UAE History

08 Snapshot of Dubai History

09 UAE Bid Theme

09 Dubai Site

10 UAE Event Track Record

11 Knowledge Economy

12 Trade

13 Infrastructure

13 Arts & Culture

14 Tourism

14 Demographics/Diversity

www.expo2020dubai.aeFollow @DubaiExpo2020

Published by the Dubai Expo 2020 Executive Bid Committee

The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, held in London in 1851, inaugurated World Expos as the hallmark events of a world aspiring to strengthen its connections, to appreciate its cultural diversity and to marvel at its technological wonders.

Over 150 years later, World Expos continue to represent a key meeting point for the global community to celebrate diversity, share innovations and make progress on issues of importance to the world, such as the global economy, education for sustainable development and improved quality of life for all people across the planet.

Every five years and for a period of six months, World Expos attract millions of visitors who will explore and discover pavilions, exhibitions and cultural events staged by hundreds of participants including nations, international organisations, companies and civil society organisations.

The Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) is the international organisation responsible for overseeing the calendar, bidding, selection and organisation of World Expos. Through its 160 member states, spanning the four corners of the

connecting minds, creating the future connecting minds, creating the future

What is the World Expo?In November 2011, the United Arab Emirates submitted its bid to host the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. In this formal submission to the Bureau International des Expositions and its 160 member states, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, expressed his support to host this global gathering and highlighted the theme of the countrys bid Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.The five candidates to host Expo 2020 are Dubai (UAE), Ayutthaya (Thailand), Ekaterinburg (Russia), Izmir (Turkey), and Sao Paulo (Brazil). Following a vote by the 160 BIE member nations, the winning city will be announced in November 2013.

People from all over the world come to visit World Expos 01 The Atomium, Brussels02 Sun Valley structure, Shanghai 03 the Seed Cathedral, at Shanghai 04 Eiffel Tower, Paris 05 World Expos are international events

globe, it embodies a global commitment to engage the public in promoting innovation in the service of human progress.

Each World Expo is a powerful catalyst for economic, cultural and social transformation and creates important legacies for the host city and country, as highlighted by the iconic Eiffel Tower, which was purpose built to serve as the entrance arch for the 1889 Expo in Paris, France.

Most recently, Shanghai 2010 World Expo helped transform a heavily industrial area at the centre of the city into a thriving business and cultural district while also bringing its theme Better City, Better Life to the attention of 73 million people.

The next World Expo will take place in Milan, Italy, in 2015 with a focus on Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.

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The inaugural World Expo was in London, in 1851. Six million people visited The Great Exhibition, and proceeds funded the building of the V&A Museum.

The first World Expo in the United States, in 1876, is famous for introducing


the public to the first telephone, the first commercial typewriter ... and Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

Some 50 million visitors attended the 1900 World Expo in Paris, France, and marvelled at innovations such as escalators, diesel engines, Ferris wheels and talking films.

The 1915 Expo in San Francisco, USA, celebrated the completion of the Panama Canal, and served as an opportunity for the city to showcase its recovery from the 1906 earthquake.

The 1958 Expo in Belgium is best known for the construction of a giant model of a unit cell of an iron crystal, called the Atomium, which remains a landmark in Brussels.

One of the highlights of the 1970 Expo in Osaka, Japan, was a large moon rock on display at the US pavilion, brought back to earth by Apollo 12 astronauts in 1969.

The theme transportation of the 1986 Expo, in Vancouver, Canada, was marked by the inclusion of a purpose-built


Fun Facts

The UAE has an established track record of successfully participating in World Expos.

In addition to its presence at Expo 2012 in Yeosu, South Korea, the country has hosted national pavilions at previous Expos in Hanover, Germany; Lisbon, Portugal; Seville, Spain; and Shanghai, China.

The UAE Pavilion from the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai is now a permanent fixture

Afshin Molavi is a global geo-economics specialist and senior advisor at

Oxford Analytica, a leading global macro advisory and analysis firm. He spoke to the Dubai, UAE World Expo 2020 team about Dubais role in the world economy and as a global hub of trade, people, and ideas.

Dubais theme for its World Expo bid is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. How does this fit with Dubai and the UAEs role in the global economy?Dubai might be one of the most hyper-connected places on the planet. You can see it on the streets and in the malls. There are not many places where you can mingle with more than 200 different nationalities. You also see it in the art galleries where Dubai has become a hub for contemporary South Asian and Middle Eastern art. And you see it in trade, where Dubai has emerged as one of the worlds leading global hubs.

Its airport stands alongside Paris, London, and Hong Kong as among the busiest in the world in terms of international passengers. Its major airline, Emirates, is on track to become the biggest in the world. In 2009, Dubai attracted more

Dubais Role on the World Stageinternational tourists than Paris. It consistently ranks in the top 10 cities visited globally. Its shipping ports are among the top 10 busiest in the world. In fact, if you add all of the cargo unloaded in Los Angeles and Long Beach two of Americas biggest ports it would be roughly equivalent to Dubai. The city also ranks sixth worldwide in terms of air cargo traffic.

These are dizzying numbers when you recall where Dubai came from. A generation ago, it was just a modest regional entrepot. The soaring skyscrapers should not hide this essential fact: Dubais rulers created their future by making big bets on infrastructure and creating an environment conducive to trade. It is still a work in progress, but there is no doubt that Dubai has emerged as one of the most consequential global hubs of people and commerce.

How would you compare Dubai to other global trade hubs, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, London or New York? Dubai is unique because it is a trans-continental hub, rather than a regional or thematic one. Hong Kong is a critical hub for mainland China and Asia. Singapore is a major Asian regional hub. New York and London are key global financial hubs, linking the world thematically through finance.

United Arab Emirates Participation in Exposon the skyline of Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.

With its dune-shaped structure designed by Foster + Partners, who are designing the Zayed National Museum, the UAE Pavilion attracted almost two million visitors during Expo 2010. It was voted the most popular international pavilion at that event, and won a range of awards for its iconic design.

monorail system, sky-train, gondolas and water taxis.

Some 2,000 kilometres of telecommunications wire were laid during construction of the site for the 1988 Expo in Brisbane, Australia, which attracted nearly 16 million visitors.

Nearly 80,000 volunteers were trained to serve as part of Chinas 2010 Shanghai Expo, which featured over 20,000 live performances during its six-month run.

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01 The UAE Pavilion from Shanghai is a permanent fixture in Abu Dhabi

Dubai, on the other hand, does not only serve one region or one theme. Thousands of Chinese businesses use Dubai as a hub for Africa. Indian traders use Dubai to access the world. Western multi-nationals use Dubai as a hub for the Middle East. Latin American multi-latinas see Dubai as a launching pad into South Asia. The trans-continental aspect is what makes Dubai a unique hub.

Where does Dubai and the UAE fit into todays global economy and that of the year 2020?Dubai sits at the intersection of one of the most transformative moments in geo-economic history in more than a century: the gradual but inexorable shift of the economic centre of gravity from the West to emerging markets and the rise of the so-called South-South trade. I would argue that Dubai and the UAE stand at the centre of The New Silk Road of trade between the Middle East and Asia, and also what HSBC calls The Southern Silk Road linking Latin America, Africa, and Asia in a new world of trade.

By the year 2020, emerging markets will account for roughly half of global GDP, a dramatic leap from just 15 per cent in the 1980s. Global hub cities like Dubai will shape and catalyse this new world of trade.Im

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A truly 21st-century city, Dubai is strategically located at the global crossroads between East and West, connecting one-third of the world in just a four-hour flight.

Although it has long been a hub for global trade, Dubai was first settled as a fishing village with a total population of just 10,000 at the turn of the last century. Under the leadership of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai from 1958-90, the city was transformed into a commercial metropolis.

Today, under the leadership of Dubais Ruler, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, this metropolis of two million inhabitants serves a market of more than

two billion people leading the development of a new Silk Road that connects rapidly growing economies such as India, China, Brazil and the African continent.

Home to more than 200 nationalities, Dubai is a melting pot of cultures and a meeting point for peoples from across the world. Last year, more than 51 million people travelled through Dubai International Airport, which will have the highest footfall of any international airport by 2015.

Dubai, one of seven emirates that comprise the UAE, is well known for its commercial success stories, such as Emirates Airline, Jumeirah Hotels and Jebel Ali Port the worlds busiest port outside Asia. The city is also recognised for being safe, inclusive and cosmopolitan.

For all these reasons and more, Dubai is now one of the worlds top 10 urban tourist destinations, attracting more than 9.3 million visitors last year alone.

Snapshot of UAE History

Snapshot of Dubai History

Ancient Silk RoadModern-Day Southern Silk Road

The history of the United Arab Emirates, which was founded as a nation in 1971, stretches back to 5,500 BC, when the first known habitation of the area existed. Archaeological evidence suggests that those earliest inhabitants engaged in trade with their neighbours a trait that has remained consistent across the millennia and is a vital part of the countrys identity even today.

A centre for the pearling industry across the 19th and 20th centuries, the history of the modern UAE began in 1971. At that time, this small country with limited resources

marked its founding as a federation of neighbouring emirates, united under the leadership of the founding President, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Located in Southwest Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf, the UAE federal government is led by the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, working in close coordination with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai as well as a range of federal government

bodies, including the elected Federal National Council.

At the time of its founding, the UAEs total population was less than 280,000. Four decades later, the countrys population is 8.26 million, an incredible rate of growth matched by the rapid development of the nations infrastructure. The UAE is home to nine per cent of the worlds oil reserves but boasts an extremely diverse economy with non-oil trade accounting for 71 per cent of the countrys total GDP that is poised to expand more than 3.3 per cent this year alone.

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01 The UAE was a centre for the pearling industry 02 Aerial view of the modern day creek 03 The number of boats using Dubai Creek increased in the 1950s 04 Traditional dhows are still used by the pearling industry 05 A new Silk Road connects rapidly growing economies

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UAE Bid Theme For its bid to host the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, the UAE has selected the theme: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, which best represents the fabric and the future aspirations of its society and reflects how World Expos unite people from across the globe to share in a common project.

In todays highly interconnected world, what is most needed is a renewed vision of progress and development based on shared purpose and commitment. While a single human mind, an individual country, or a specific community is both unique and remarkable, it is by coming together and



strengthening connections that we can truly advance.

As the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan said: Future generations will be living in a world that is very different from that to which we are accustomed. It is essential that we prepare ourselves and our children for that new world.

As we face ever more complex challenges, which now go beyond national boundaries, the links between people, societies and ideas have never been more important. To realise this aspiration, the Dubai Expo 2020 will be a platform for connectivity to help pioneer new partnerships for growth and sustainability for the future.

Dubai SiteThe UAE has proposed hosting the 2020 World Expo at Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali, a 438-hectare site that has been designed as a specialised, highly connected environment that will serve as a permanent attraction, further contributing to Dubais appeal.

To be constructed on the southwestern edge of the city, equidistant from the centres of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali is also located in close proximity to Jebel Ali Port, the third-busiest port in the world.

The site will also have easy access to several of the citys main expressways, including Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Bypass Road.

Importantly, Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali will be located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport, the citys second airport.

With major international airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and further

The UAE has long recognised the potential of the meetings, conferences and exhibitions industry, and has established a track record of successfully hosting world-class events on a global scale.

The UAE makes the most of its strategic location at the centre of the world

01 Dubai World Championship is part of golfs renowned The European Tour 02 Meydan Racecourse is home to the worlds richest horserace, the Dubai World Cup 03 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is one of many high-profile events held in the emirate

From 2006-2010, the country doubled the scale of its exhibition infrastructure. Now more than 1.5 million visitors travel to the UAE annually to take part in over 300 events, including more than 100 mega-exhibitions and conferences.

The industry is also a significant contributor to the UAEs national economy, with meetings, conferences and exhibitions providing the second-highest level of GDP contribution of any country in the world.

With its unmatched infrastructure and connectivity, Dubai, in particular, continues to witness strong growth in the events sector. Last year, events held in the emirate witnessed a 14 per cent surge in visitor attendance and five per cent growth in exhibitor participation. During the same period, the Dubai World Trade Centre contributed 2.5 per cent to the citys total GDP, positioning the events

connectivity offered through emirates such as Sharjah, the UAE continues to make the most of its strategic location at the centre of the world.

In 2011, more than 51 million passengers travelled through Dubai International Airport, where 150 airlines serve 220 destinations on six continents.

Led by the success of Emirates Airline, the worlds fastest-growing airline, Dubai Airport is poised to become the worlds busiest international airport by 2015.

UAE Event Track Record


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TradeThe top trading economy in the Middle East, the UAE is a dynamic hub for global trade and international commerce, with unmatched infrastructure that provides seamless connectivity for businesses from around the world.

Already the 30th largest trading economy in the world, the UAE recorded a total trade surplus of US$94m in 2011. This performance is supported by strong partnerships with countries such as India, the UAEs biggest trade partner, and China, the countrys second-largest trade partner.At the same time, the UAE

The founding fathers of the UAE recognised the importance of investing in education and enabling entrepreneurship as a way to facilitate the growth of a knowledge economy.

Forty years ago, there were few schools and no universities; now there are more than 1,200 schools and over 70 universities. The country has the highest percentage of female high-school graduates who enrol in university anywhere in the world.

The UAE continues to develop in areas ranging from environmental engineering

sector as a key contributor to Dubais growth.

High-profile events in Dubai include an earlier Annual Meeting of the IMF/World Bank, the biennial Dubai Airshow, a range of World Economic Forum Summits, the Dubai International Film Festival, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the Dubai World Championship (a US$7.5m golf tournament on The European Tour), the internationally renowned Dubai World Cup and the Dubai Summer Surprises Festival, the largest event held in the Middle East region, attracting in excess of 2.2 million people.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi plays host to an equally broad array of events, including the F1 Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Film Festival, World Future Energy Summit and many other international-standard events, conferences and exhibitions.

Knowledge Economy

to software development, and from film production to biotechnology. For example, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology is a research-oriented university focused on alternative energy and sustainability. Located inside the zero-carbon, zero-waste Masdar City project in Abu Dhabi, programmes are carried out in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, demonstrating the countrys ability to form international partnerships to support the development of the UAEs knowledge economy.

All of this is contributing to the UAEs international status as a hub for business.

is steadily enhancing trade relations with Africa, where trade flows between the Gulf state and the continent increased over 635 per cent from 2000-2009. While maintaining consistent trade ties with Europe and the US, the UAE is also increasing trade flows with Latin America, especially giants such as Brazil.

Supported by its world-class infrastructure, Dubai is leading this growth, with the citys global trade expected to increase 20 per cent, to US$300bn, this year alone.

Home to the worlds most used port outside Asia, Jebel Ali Port, 100 containers are now loaded or unloaded every minute

01 Dubai World Cup is a week-long carnival of horseracing 02 The UAE has the highest percentage of female high-school graduates who enrol in university anywhere in the world 03 Jebel Ali Port is the worlds busiest port outside of Asia



in Jebel Ali which also features a new Logistics Corridor connecting it to Al Maktoum International Airport. Through this corridor, goods can travel from port to airport in just 20 minutes, further enhancing the citys competitiveness as an international trade hub.

Dubai is the largest, most developed logistics hub in a region that encompasses more than two billion people across southeast Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

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A cosmopolitan city that is inhabited by over 200 nationalities, Dubai is a melting pot of cultures and a meeting point for peoples from across the globe. Home to just over two million residents, two-thirds of the citys population is between the ages of 20-39.

In line with the national focus on inclusiveness and openness, the citys incredible diversity has long served as one of its great strengths helping to attract the best minds from around the world, who are drawn to this meritocratic environment by the promise of great personal and professional opportunity and supporting its ongoing economic growth and diversification.

TourismOne of the worlds top 10 urban tourist destinations, Dubai hosted more than 9.3 million visitors last year. Given those figures, it is not surprising that tourism is one of the key contributors to the citys economy, generating US$4.4bn in revenues for Dubai in 2011. Among the citys many attractions, The Dubai Mall, located at the foot of Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest tower, recorded a total footfall of over 54 million last year more than the number of annual tourists to New York City.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah continue to witness strong growth in tourism. More than 2.1 million guests stayed in Abu Dhabi hotels last year, while some 1.5 million international tourists visited Sharjah during the same period.

Arts & CultureThe development of the artistic and cultural life of the UAE has been led from the top through government initiatives to build new museums and entire cultural districts and from the grassroots, led by trailblazers who have opened dozens of independent galleries over the past few years.

Across the country, there is a new focus on arts and culture, with world-class events, upcoming institutions

InfrastructureWhen it comes to the infrastructure development of the UAE, a picture is worth a thousand words. Look back at archival images of the UAE from 1971. The scale of change is truly incredible.

Twenty years ago, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubais main thoroughfare that leads to Abu Dhabi, was mostly sand. Now it is one of the worlds most modern urban landscapes, linked by multi-lane highways and the only driverless Metro system on earth.

In four decades, the UAE has developed both soft and hard infrastructure including schools, universities, medical clinics and hospitals, as well as roads, ports and airports. As an international business, trade and investment hub, it is also critical to the UAEs success in attracting foreign companies. Half of the Fortune 500 firms have a base in Dubai, while a high concentration of multinationals use the emirate as a regional HQ.

Though the UAE is home to nine per cent of the worlds oil reserves, non-oil trade accounts for 71 per cent of its total GDP. In Dubai, oil accounts for less than five per cent of total economic output. This focus on infrastructure development has supported the countrys growth over four decades, and will be key to its global competitiveness.

Demographics/Diversity

and a thriving gallery scene, especially in the Al Quoz industrial area of Dubai, which is being transformed into a new hub for contemporary art.

In Abu Dhabi, the 27 square kilometre Saadiyat Island will be home to the Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi, a performing arts centre and maritime museum. Dubai recently announced plans to build its own cultural district, including museums, art hotels and an opera house.

Across the country the list of cultural events and initiatives is long and growing: the Sharjah Biennial, Art Dubai, the Emirates Festival of Literature, Abu Dhabi Festival of Classical Music, the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Film Festivals.

When it comes to the arts in this cosmopolitan country, today more than ever, there is something for everyone.

01 The iconic Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai 02 The scale of change since 1971 has been incredible 03 Dubai is full of modern architecture 04 The worlds first driverless Metro system 05 Dubai is a top tourist destination 06-08 The emirate is now a thriving arts and culture hub



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Documents

Expo 2020 Booklet English