The opening ceremony and first impressions from visitors in Expo 2020

The Expo 2020 worldwide exhibition will last 182 days from October 1 to March 31. The opening ceremony personified the main theme and goal of Expo 2020 which is to connect minds and create the future with more than 1,000 participants as well as technical staff.

During the opening ceremony, performers were dressed in bright costumes, and various incredible projections showed the different natural landscapes of the UAE. Guests at the famous Al Wasl Plaza were acquainted with the subtopics of the Expo: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, and welcomed 192 countries participating in Expo 2020.

The guests were also shown the deeply rooted values of the UAE as well as the purpose and the overall vision of the world exhibition. According to the words of Amna Abulhoul, who is Executive Creative Director, Events and Entertainment of Expo 2020 Dubai, the opening ceremony made the audience feel ready to change the world for the better together.

For the first time in the history of the exhibition, separate pavilions, 192 in total, were built for each participating country, plus additional pavilions for the exhibition sponsors. A total of 60 events, including concerts and more, are held daily in more than 200 pavilions across the site. The dynamic entertainment programme includes a lineup of internationally renowned performers with everything from dancing to meet and greets. You can visit Expo 2020 Dubai each day from 10 AM to midnight from Saturday to Wednesday and from 10 AM to 2 AM on Thursday and Friday.

The Expo 2020 opening ceremony on September 30th could be watched live only by a limited number of visitors who were lucky enough to win tickets. Nevertheless, many countries were able to watch this large-scale spectacle from their TV screens and gadgets from the comfort of their own home. Since October 1 when the exhibition pavilion opened its doors to all visitors, everyone has left with boundless enthusiasm.

Many visitors, both local and from other parts of the world, were shocked by such large-scale construction, innovation and technology from the many countries that are participating in the show. Here are some of the first impressions of visitors to Expo 2020:

For example, Mubarak Salah al-Hemeiri, 17, who came with his family from Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, described how he couldn’t wait for them to go to Dubai and woke up at 6 a.m. to spend as much time as possible on the Expo site. As he commented:

I don’t use social media. I came here to get my own first impression. I’m so excited. There’s no way I could have imagined this city, such a massive structure, in the middle of the desert.

Viju Kumar, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 15 years, echoed Mubarak Salah al-Hemeiri’s opinion. He came to the exhibition with his wife, Nirmala, who had planned a vacation in advance and traveled from India to attend Expo 2020 with her husband.

We’ve been waiting for this moment since last year. We can’t wait to see what’s inside. We’re going to stay here all day, Kumar said.

Metra Jayakumar, a network engineer based in Dublin, Ireland, also came to Dubai on vacation to attend Expo 2020 with her husband, Sid, a business analyst.

I came to the Expo to explore and push boundaries! – she said.

Desmond Hayes, an Irish resident, was overwhelmed to see the whole world in one place.

I’m here on vacation and have visited several different countries at the Expo… The place itself is amazing and breathtaking! The construction is incredible! It can’t be conveyed in words! You can only experience it by seeing it with your own eyes! – he said.