Expo-2020 Dubai: Pakistan Pavilion handed over to authorities

DUBAI: In an official ceremony at the Expo-2020 Dubai site, the Pakistan Pavilion was handed over to the Pakistani authorities after the completion of building civil works on Sunday.

The Pakistani side was represented by Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Muhammad Sualeh Ahmed Faruqui, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Afzaal Mahmood, Ambassador of Pakistan to UAE, Ahsan Ali Mangi, Secretary Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), and other officers from the Embassy, Consulate and TDAP.

Omar Shehadeh, Chief International Participants Officer at Expo-2020 Dubai, Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery Officer at Expo-2020 Dubai and Ahmed Al Hamdan, Country Manager for Pakistan at Expo-2020 Dubai were also present on the occasion.

Expo-2020 is now scheduled to be held from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 under the theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the future”. The Expo-2020 site is spread over an area of 4.38 square kilometres with more than 200 participants pavilions. A large number of visitors from across the globe are expected to visit the expo during the six months duration of the event.

The entire area is divided into three main districts i.e. Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability. The Pakistan Pavilion is located in the Opportunity District on a large size plot with a total covered area of 35,000 sq ft. The inner journey of the pavilion is set under the theme ‘Pakistan: The Hidden Treasure’ with an aim to enhance tourism, commerce and investment in Pakistan. The pavilion will take visitors through a timeless journey from the world’s earliest recorded civilizations to the challenges of the new millennium.

On the occasion, Abdul Razak Dawood said Pakistan is bestowed with natural beauty, historical and religious sites, highest peaks and calm deserts. It is the destination for mountaineers, historians, archaeologists, writers, photographers and many such tourists. Through our theme at Expo-2020 Dubai, we plan to present and showcase the land of opportunities to promote tourism, commerce and investment in the country. On the sidelines, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan is also planning six months of programming events, which will comprise Trade and Investment seminars and conferences, cultural shows and events, etc.

The Pakistani side thanked the leadership and government of the UAE and Expo-2020 authorities for their support and cooperation throughout the construction phase of the Pakistan Pavilion and expressed the hope for same cooperation and support until the successful completion of the event.