DUBAI // More than 250 delegates have arrived to witness the UAE's final pitch to host the Expo 2020 and witness the country's ambition to build a legacy that touches lives across the world.
A three-day symposium will showcase plans to transform the lives of communities the world over followed by tours to help delegates gauge public support for the fair, officials said.
The representatives from 167 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the body governing the World Expo, will attend the symposium titled “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future: Partnerships for Global Innovation and Sustainable Development” from Tuesday until Thursday.
"It is my hope that our guests enjoy their short stay with us and leave with an understanding of what a World Expo in Dubai and its legacy could mean, not only for Dubai and the UAE, but for all member nations of the BIE, the wider region and for future generations across the globe," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports and chairman and chief executive of Emirates airline. Sheikh Al Maktoum is also chairman of the Higher Committee for the Expo 2020 bid.
A successful bid would bring the first world fair to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region.
“We are delighted to welcome the representatives from the Bureau International des Expositions. Over the coming days we look forward to exploring the theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future together,” he said.
International and national experts will focus on the country’s stability and safety, the economic environment and infrastructure during the symposium. This will include morning conference sessions and discussions that aim to showcase the specific strengths the UAE offers as a host nation.
Delegates will be taken on afternoon tours, called Learning Journeys, covering sites in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah to give a deeper understanding of the country’s culture, heritage, infrastructure and operational readiness to host the world fair, according to a statement from the organisers.
The tours will cover the Burj Khalifa, the Jebel Ali port operated by DP World, Emirates Aviation Academy, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE’s long-term initiative, Expo Live, that involves international collaboration to transform lives, will also be explained.
Expo Live is a seven-year programme that draws from the themes of the Dubai Expo 2020 to answer recurring challenges such as mobility, sustainability and opportunity.
Two vital projects for solar energy and clean drinking water titled “D Light and Pure Home Water” will be presented at the symposium this week.
The D Light project is an affordable high-quality solar lantern that has already helped 20 million people with the aim of impacting 100 million lives by 2020.
Clay pots reinforced with innovative filtering technology are part of the Pure Home Water initiative that aims to bring safe clean drinking water to communities across the developing world.
Both projects have the backing of €100 million (Dh502.3m) from the Expo Partnership Fund.
“We are confident that the programme we have put in place will bring to life the conversations we have had with delegates throughout the last two years of the bid and will underline the unique opportunities that only a World Expo in Dubai in 2020 can bring,” said Reem Al Hashemi, the Minister of State and managing director of the Dubai Expo 2020 bid.
“The theme symposium represents a critical milestone in our bid to host the World Expo in 2020. It promises to be a highly engaging event with an opportunity not only to hear from our country’s leadership but to engage with local and international experts on the theme.”
rtalwar@thenational.ae
Tell Me Who I Am
Director: Ed Perkins
Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis
Four stars
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
CREW
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Lady Snazz, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Arabian Adventures Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm: Emirates Skywards Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Rich And Famous, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Emirates Airline Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Rio Angie, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB) Dh 92,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Kinver Edge, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
