The Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Vicente G. Loscertales, is carrying out a Technical Visit in Dubai to review progress made for World Expo 2020.

The two-day visit, which is taking place on 14-15 November, includes a meeting with Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as with His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee and Chairman of Dubai Airports and Emirates Airline. Separate meetings are being held with those responsible for Expo 2020 Dubai’s site operations, international participation, infrastructure projects, culture, and communications activities.

BIE Secretary General Vicente G. Loscertales meets with His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee and Chairman of Dubai Airports and Emirates Airline

The visit is an opportunity for the Secretary General to inspect the site of the Expo in Dubai South, where construction is now underway on the Expo Village. Early works are set to be completed by the end of this year, with construction of the Thematic Districts due to begin in 2017. In keeping with one of Expo 2020 Dubai’s three sub-themes – Sustainability – 90% of the materials used for permanent construction on the Expo site will be reused or repurposed after the event.

After visiting the site, Mr. Loscertales congratulated organisers on the advanced stage of preparations, with less than four years to go until the Expo opens. “While construction is in its early phase, we can already see the Expo site taking shape. In the build-up to the Expo, it is equally important that Expo 2020 Dubai pursues its efforts to capture the imagination of individuals and continue to engage governments, organisations and companies around the world”, commented the BIE Secretary General.

In May, Expo 2020 Dubai held its first International Planning Meeting, gathering 132 countries and organisations interested in the Expo, and the participant list has since grown. After Switzerland, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Greece, Italy – the host of Expo 2015 Milan – and Indonesia have officially confirmed their participation in the next World Expo. Organisers of Expo 2020 expect at least 180 international participants – a number that includes countries and international organisations.

Expo 2020 Dubai is being organised under the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, and will be open between 20 October 2020 and 10 April 2021.