MARIAH CAREY CONCERT & LIGHT SHOW MARKS ONE YEAR TO EXPO 2020 DUBAI

·         Mariah Carey and Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi perform live in Dubai extravaganza

·         The UAE marks the milestone moment at fun, free events across all seven emirates

·         Everyone is invited to play their part in exciting journey to the World’s Greatest Show

DUBAI, 20 October 2019 – The UAE came together this evening to celebrate One Year to Go until Expo 2020 Dubai opens its doors, with spectacular events in all seven emirates marking the milestone moment in style and offering a tantalising taste of what’s to come at the World’s Greatest Show.

Global superstar Mariah Carey and acclaimed Emirati singer and Expo 2020 Ambassador Hussain Al Jassmi headlined celebrations in Burj Park, Downtown Dubai – treating the audience to hour-long sets packed with their greatest hits.

All eyes turned to Burj Khalifa at 2020 (8.20pm) for a mesmerising LED and fireworks show that launched the 12-month countdown to 20 October 2020, when the largest event ever staged in the Arab world will open its doors for an unmissable 173 days of inspiration, innovation and fun for all the family.

Top-class events were held simultaneously from 1700 to 2200 in the six other emirates, at Louvre Abu Dhabi, Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah, Ajman Museum, Umm Al Quwain Corniche, Al Qawasim Corniche in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah Fort.

All seven free, family-friendly celebrations underlined the nation’s ever-growing excitement and pride as it prepares to host the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region. Each drew a bustling crowd and featured musicians, painters, poets and other figures from the UAE’s flourishing cultural scene, as well as great food, craft areas for children, live streams of Dubai’s headline acts and plenty more.

Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, Executive Director Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, said: “This was a wonderful ‘Be There’ moment for the nation after we launched our newest campaign – ‘Be There for the World’s Greatest Show’ – only last week. Tonight gave the entire UAE and the wider world a tantalising glimpse of what Expo 2020 Dubai will offer in just 12 months from now – and proved exactly why everybody will want to be there for an unmissable landmark in our history.”

An appearance from Bollywood actress and singer Shraddha Kapoor added further star quality to proceedings at Burj Park, while five UAE-based musicians of diverse genres performed a song they had written especially for the One Year to Go celebrations. Their collaboration will feature in a documentary titled ‘Musical Encounters’ to be released shortly.

Across all seven emirates, performances by 100 artists from 26 different nationalities highlighted the nation’s rich talent pool and multicultural modern society, as well as the global appeal of Expo 2020. 

More than 100,000 plastic bottles were saved during the national celebrations as part of the ‘Be Water Wise’ initiative – a collaboration between Expo 2020 and the UAE Water Aid Foundation, Suqia UAE, to raise awareness about water scarcity and single-use plastic. In line with Expo’s subtheme of Sustainability, free drinking water and 98 per cent biodegradable and compostable paper water bottles were provided to all visitors, performers and staff.

Expo 2020 Dubai will bring together 192 participating nations and an anticipated 25 million visits, showcasing the best in technology, architecture, gastronomy, culture and more while also exploring how humanity can shape a more sustainable tomorrow through the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. 

Everyone is encouraged to join the journey to Expo 2020 through a variety of options from Expo Live’s pioneering social projects helping communities around the globe, to the volunteers programme, which will see a diverse mix of 30,000 UAE residents and expats become the ‘face’ of the next World Expo.

More details are being announced about The World’s Greatest Show of human brilliance and achievement on a continuous basis. Stay in the know by visiting expo2020dubai.com or follow any of Expo’s social media channels.

• The six months from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021 will be a moment in time to be part of an unparalleled event. We are extending a warm Emirati welcome to the world: 
• 25 million visits are expected, with many visitors expected to come more than once
• 70 per cent of visitors anticipated to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 168-year history of World Expos
• An entertaining global celebration with something for everyone, Expo 2020 will wow visitors with 60 daily events across 173 days, showcasing the best of music, technology, creativity and culture, while 200 F&B outlets will feature famous chefs and cuisine from every corner of the world
• Expo 2020 will be an endless journey of discovery. Visitors will have access to the latest innovations and breakthroughs, with more than 200 participants – including 192 nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institutions – coming together to highlight real-life solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges
• Expo 2020’s sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability will inspire visitors to make a conscious effort to think and live differently, and give them renewed optimism that, through collaboration, it is possible to make a lasting change to the world
• The first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) will be located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

The Expo 2020 Dubai Media Information System, Tawassul, is now available by registering at https://media.expo2020dubai.com. Tawassul is your essential tool to access important information and updates on topics such as media accreditation, licences and permits, press releases and visual assets.

The Expo 2020 Global Media Briefing, taking place in Dubai from 20-22 October 2019, will provide hundreds of members of the media the latest updates and insights on the event. To register, email: media.services@expo2020.ae.

Visit: www.expo2020dubai.com

Follow: Twitter: @expo2020dubai | Facebook: @Expo2020Dubai | Instagram: expo2020dubai

About World Expos

In 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centrepiece of London’s Great Exhibition – the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, ‘Industry of All Nations’, were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organisations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand, and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment.

World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (‘Expos’) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of Expos are organised under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.