Expo City Dubai, a new city to be realised in October this year
UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, has announced that what was once Expo 2020 will become a new city in October 2022, "Expo City Dubai".
"We announce the transformation of the Expo site into Expo City Dubai, a new city that illustrates Dubai's ambitions," tweeted Sheikh Bin Rashid. "After the historic success of Expo 2020 Dubai, which was visited by more than 24 million visitors and left an indelible mark on the 170-year history of World Expos," he added.
The city, which will be directly connected to Dubai's port and two airports, will host the headquarters of large international companies, such as DP World, the German group Siemens, and various start-ups and small companies, making it a reference point for global business.
Something that Mohamed bin Rashid wanted to highlight, saying: "Expo City Dubai will be a city that respects the environment. A city connected with a port and two airports, and also with beautiful memories in the hearts and minds of millions of people".
But this metropolis will also have an important cultural offer, "it will be home to an extraordinary new museum, a world-class exhibition centre...It will continue to host the pavilions of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt and others," he added. The essence of Expo 2020 will not disappear, which is why iconic sites such as the Al-Wasl waterfall, the Garden in the Sky observation tower and the Sustainability and Mobility pavilions will remain.
Sustainability and respect for the environment will be another of the fundamental bases of Expo City Dubai, which is why 80% of the infrastructure and buildings already constructed will be preserved, including the 123 buildings that were designed under LEED certification, which guarantees and endorses the highest levels of sustainable development in their creation. This city will also be free of single-use plastics, being the first WELL certified city in the entire region, which is synonymous with the commitment to the environment with which it has been conceived.
It will thus become a perfect synthesis of what Expo 2020 was. The Expo 2020 was a showcase for different projects and issues closely related to sustainable growth and the ability to evolve while respecting the planet, an essence that will be present at Expo City Dubai. It was precisely the resounding success during the six months that it lasted, which has driven the idea of taking advantage of the base already created to give birth to this new city.
Offering multiple opportunities for companies that meet its sustainability objectives, Expo City Dubai is already attracting interest from a host of potential commercial tenants, such as the aforementioned Siemens and DP World.
One of the aspects that also aims to be present in this metropolis is equality and respect for women; something that was achieved during Expo 2020 and was endorsed with the achievement of the European and International Gender Equality Standard. This is why it will maintain the Women's Pavilion, which features women who have created important changes around the world, and which will be a symbol of their struggle.
Expo City Dubai will soon become a place of business, sustainability and respect for women; a city that as His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid said: "It will be environmentally friendly, family friendly, economy friendly and future generations friendly...It will embody the dreams of all cities and will continue to bring joy to our children and all those we love".