After a spectacular opening ceremony on September 30, Expo 2020 Dubai will open its doors to the public on October 1.
The hotly anticipated six-month event is expected to attract millions of visitors before it draws to a close on March 31, 2022.
While the 190-plus pavilions will be chief among the attractions for people who visit the Dubai South site, Expo 2020 will stage hundreds of events over the course of the 182 days.
Every morning from October 1, thousands of students from schools in the UAE will put on song and dance shows in Al Wasl dome, the centrepiece of the entire site.
In the afternoons, visitors can watch international choirs and dance troupes as part of a Music in the Garden series at the dome.
Each evening, live entertainment from international artistes will include opera, ballet and theatre.
Here, The National takes a look at the Expo 2020 calendar and picks out some events that you might want to put on your must-visit list.
Parade – Colours of the World
When: 12.45pm, daily
If you’re planning a day-trip to Expo 2020, make sure to get along for the daily Colours of the World parade at Ghaf Avenue. Each country will have a national or honour-day celebration during the six months of the event and they will treat audiences to a unique cultural fusion experience.
Kaleidoscope
When: nightly, from October 1
Kaleidoscope will wow crowds with spectacular light projections each night, using light sculptures, art projections and installations to illuminate buildings in different hues on every night of the six-month event.
Late nights @ Expo
When: 10.30pm, Thursdays and Fridays on the Jubilee Stage
Expo 2020 Dubai will connect artists and people from around the world on the Jubilee Stage.
France National Day
When: Saturday, October 2
The first national day to be celebrated at Expo will be France. During the day, there will be street entertainers, performers, clowns and stilt walkers to entertain the crowds, while later in the evening you can expect a strong French influence at the Late Nights at Expo on the Jubilee Stage.
Expo Space Week
When: October 17-23
Expo Space Week will be all about exploring new frontiers, the Red Planet, space pioneers and applying space lessons to fight climate change.
Firdaus Orchestra
When: Saturday, October 23 (plus other dates)
Oscar and Grammy-winning musician AR Rahman put together an all-female line-up from the Arab world to create the Firdaus Orchestra. The ensemble received training from the renowned composer, who has sold an estimated 150 million records worldwide.
Expo’s in-house orchestra will perform at numerous events during Expo, including International Women’s Day on March 8.
Harlem Globetrotters
When: Friday October 29 and Saturday October 30
The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters will entertain audiences at Expo over two days, with fan interaction, ball handling wizardry, rim-rattling dunks and some comedy thrown in too.
Halloween
When: Sunday, October 31
Halloween, which dates from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, was celebrated more than 2,000 years ago by the Irish and Scottish.
Ireland will host the Samhain Gaelic Festival at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre with a special performance by Siamsa Tire, an Irish folk theatre group.
Poland National Day
When: Thursday, November 11
Poland will celebrate its national day with a special Frederic Chopin piano concert at its pavilion.
World Chess Championship
When: November 24 to December 16
The FIDE World Chess Championship, postponed from 2020, will be held at Expo 2020 Dubai, where champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway will defend his title. The game’s finest grandmasters will compete for a prize fund of Dh9 million ($2.45 million).
US National Day
When: Sunday, November 28
Fourth of July is the traditional national holiday for the US, but because it falls outside the Expo calendar, it will be marked on November 28.
UAE National Day
When: Thursday, December 2
During November, Expo will host the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations, building up to national day itself on December 2, when it is planned to host a special event.
International Arabic language day
When: Saturday, December 18
Expo 2020 will celebrate International Arabic language day with events throughout the day, rounded off with a music event at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre
Italy National Day
When: Wednesday, November 24
Italy will mark its national day – held each year on June 2 – in November with special events at its spectacular pavilion, which features a life-size model of Michelangelo’s David.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
When: Friday, December 3
Expo will host three special events to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
GMA Variety Show
When: Friday, December 3
Filipino broadcaster GMA will host a variety show at Jubilee Park. The Philippines will also celebrate its national day on Friday February 11.
Christmas
When: December 20-25
Expo will host festive celebrations in the lead-up to Christmas Day on December 25.
Book reading under the stars
When: Friday, December 24
Sri Lanka will host a book reading under the stars event for children on December 24.
New Year’s Eve
When: Friday, December 31
New Year’s Eve at Expo is expected to be an occasion to remember, with a music event planned for Jubilee Park.
India Republic Day
When: Wednesday, January 26
India Republic Day, which celebrates the anniversary of the adoption of India's Constitution in 1950, is expected to be one of the standout events during Expo 2020 Dubai, with a grand procession and celebrations to mark the country’s 73rd anniversary.
Australia National Day
When: Saturday, January 29
Australia will host a day and night of entertainment showcasing its culture, creativity and hospitality. In addition, throughout the six months of Expo, Australia will demonstrate its sporting prowess across a number of disciples with exhibition games and drills in cricket, AFL, netball, rugby and basketball.
New Zealand National Day and Six60
When: Monday, January 31
New Zealand will mark its national day on January 31 (Waitangi Day is February 6) with a concert by history-making band Six60. New Zealand's highest-selling live group, Six60 were the first band in the world to play to a live stadium audience of thousands after the coronavirus pandemic began.
Women’s World Majlis
When: Monday, January 31
The Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 is expected to be a popular attraction at the Dubai South site. Throughout Expo, the pavilion will host a series of talks and events covering a range of issues.
The Women’s World Majlis will take place on January 31 under the theme: A Cure for Inequality: Addressing Everyone’s Needs in Healthcare.
On February 20, the Women’s Pavilion Programme will discuss Arab Women Leading the Way in Food Security, Nutrition, and Agriculture.
Valentine’s Day
When: Monday, February 14
Love will be in the air at the Expo 2020 site on February 14 with special celebrations throughout the day.
Radics Ferenc and His Band
When: Friday, February 18
Hungarian violinist Radics Ferenc and his band will play at Expo 2020.
Russia Creates
When: Tuesday, March 1
The brightest stars of Russia's creative industries come together for a special conference at Expo’s Dubai Exhibition Centre. The forum will present some of Russia’s best projects to highlight its creative industry.
Daniel Ligorio
When: Friday, March 4
Daniel Ligorio, one of the leading young pianists in Spain, will perform a concert at Expo 2020.
St Patrick’s Day
When: Thursday, March 17
The Irish Expo 2020 pavilion organisers revealed earlier this year that they plan to host a “great Irish occasion” on St Patrick’s Day, the country’s national holiday.
There are plans to bring well-known Irish acts to the emirate to celebrate the day at the Jubilee Park venue, which is adjacent to the Irish pavilion.
Mother’s Day
When: Monday, March 21
Expo 2020 will mark Mother’s Day with a number of special events.
Expo 2020 Closing Ceremony
When: Thursday, March 31
The six-month event will draw to a close with another spectacular event. If it's open to the general public, it will be worth going to.
INDIA SQUAD
Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
Company%20Profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
