Northern Ireland is joining its first World Expo in Dubai next year, highlighting the best of the region's tech and business firms.
World Expo events are held every five years in different countries around the world, and Expo 2020 was planned to be the biggest one yet. Set in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the event was due to kick off later this month and run for a total of 176 days. The event was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and will now run from October 1st 2021 to 31st March 2022 instead.
The even will include areas themed on the topics of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, with Northern Ireland set to join the UK pavilion in the Opportunity district. In collaboration with the Department for International Trade, Northern Ireland will demonstrate its tourism, agri-food, and education sectors to a global audience. Millions of visitors are expected to attend the event throughout its run, both in-person and virtually.
Minister Diane Dodds commented on the announcement: "I am delighted that Northern Ireland is participating for the first time in a World Expo. Expo 2020 Dubai is the world’s largest live international event, which will see over 190 countries taking part. As we navigate through the challenges presented by Covid-19, it is important to look ahead to the future and continue to seek ways to rebuild our economy."
The expo is expected to help highlight Northern Ireland's strong tech sector, with Invest Northern Ireland already working to include successful Northern Ireland businesses in the showcase. The event is visited by thousands of investors and company heads, and will help to position Northern Ireland on the global business stage.
Steve Harper, Invest NI’s Executive Director of International Business said: "Expo 2020 Dubai promises to be a truly incredible global event and whilst much has changed in recent months, our ambition is still to inspire the world by showcasing the best examples of innovation and creativity that Northern Ireland has to offer." Head over to www.investni.com/Expo2020Dubai for more information
Source: Written based on press release
