With EXPO 2020 Dubai opening next month, we spoke to Lawson Hill from the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) about the UK Pavilion to understand what to established businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators can expect. In discussion with Lawson, he also shared some background to the UK Pavilion and insights on how to make the most of the experience. The opportunity is significant, with the UK being in the top 15 trading partners of the UAE and Expo 2020 Dubai being the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
The UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai UAE
Expo 2020 Dubai is a world first with each of the 192 countries being represented with their own pavilions. Lawson described some of the features of the UK Pavilion. The UK Pavilion is set in the Opportunity District of the Expo 2020 Dubai site, one of three Districts within the site, the others being the Mobility and Sustainability Districts. The design of the Pavilion, realised by designer Es Devlin and Avantgarde, is inspired by one of Stephen Hawking’s final projects, 'Breakthrough Message', the UK Pavilion invites you to consider what message we would communicate to express ourselves as a planet should we one day encounter other advanced civilisations in space. This Breakthrough Message, which is set as the façade of the Pavilion is a continuously changing collective message generated by artificial intelligence and visitors’ contributions. This inspiration of sending a breakthrough message into space is mirrored by the UK’s first commercial spaceport set to open in 2022 in Sunderland, Scotland.
Through one of the entrances to the Pavilion is the Choral Space, a living audio landscape with a unique composition of music where one can be immersed in the experience of the donated words through sound and vibration. Its serves as a place to stop and be inspired, setting a tone for the other places within the Pavilion. The Inspiration Gallery is the main events space where interactive, informative, and educational engagements are held by renowned guest speakers. The Gallery itself is designed to reflect the topics to be experienced over the six months of Expo 2020. The Opportunity room is a dedicated space, where participants can host meetings to build on the business relationships initiated at Expo 2020 including a fine dining experience. The 1851 Restaurant and Bar within the Pavilion pays homage to the year the first World Expo took place in London.
The theme of the UK Pavilion
The theme for the UK experience at Expo 2020 Dubai is “Innovating for a shared future” and showcases artificial intelligence and the space sector. This provides a platform for a six-month program from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, coinciding with the UAE’s 50th Anniversary. Within that six-month program, visitors will experience the very finest in British innovation, technology, culture and tourism, diversity, and cuisine. The program is shaped as immersive discussions, where we ask the following questions in the future:
What will we Wear? - October 2021
How will we Create? - November 2021
How will we Travel? - November 2021
How will we Learn? - December 2021
How will we Live? - January 2022
How will we Thrive? - January 2022
What will we Eat? - February 2022
How will we Advance? - March 2022
Using pioneering thinkers, corporate gurus, pop stars, artists, academics, culinary wizards, and tech ninjas these discussions create breakthrough moments for investors, innovators, entrepreneurs, and businesses alike.
Supporting the business as one UK Government
Participants are supported by a one UK Government approach led by DIT. The UK Government departments in support include the following:
Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
Department for Culture, Media, and Sport
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Transport
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
To help investors, entrepreneurs, businesses, and innovators, these Departments can provide on the ground guidance on developing ambitions.
The UK at Expo Business Club
The UK at Expo 2020 Dubai has introduced the newly created UK at Expo Business Club. It is a new membership scheme, that is aimed at bringing together business leaders from the UK and around the world at the UK Pavilion. Its purpose is to provide a high-profile international networking platform and provide large and small business the opportunity to make key connections at the UK Pavilion. It has also been created to leave a lasting legacy – all members will be invited to be part of a Business Club at future major world events. The Business Club is targeted at those with a presence in the UAE and wider Gulf region, as well as SME’s in the region. The major benefits of becoming a UK at Expo Business Club member are the opportunities to connect and be part of the UK at Expo business community, through our specially created networking events, the ability to host your own events on the UK Pavilion with full DIT support and be part of the UK at Expo 2020 Dubai legacy at future World Events.
To get the most from the experience of the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai UAE, it is worthwhile planning in advance and engaging with the team early. For more information about the UK Pavilion, please visit the UK at Expo 2020 Dubai site. If you would like to know more about the UK at Expo Business Club, please email UKExpoBusinessClub@trade.gov.uk. If you would like to know more about the UAE, please click here to access BDO’s Doing Business in the UAE Guide.
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