The second International Participants’ Meeting (IPM) is underway in Dubai, a key step in the preparations for World Expo 2020. The three-day event will finish on 20 October, marking exactly three years until the Expo opens. More than 500 representatives from 179 countries are gathered to learn about the progress made and the next steps.

This meeting is the second of several IPMs to be organised annually in the years leading up to the opening of the World Expo. It enables representatives from Expo 2020 Dubai, members of the Government of the UAE, officials from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to exchange with representatives of countries and organisations that have confirmed participation or are interested in taking part in the Expo.

Opening the meeting, H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, the Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, underlined recent achievements and detailed upcoming milestones in the planning calendar. This was followed by Dimitri Kerkentzes, Deputy Secretary General of the BIE, who praised the pace of development and stated: “This stage of planning an Expo is a highly exciting one. It is essential for us all to put in the work today so that three years from now, we are ready to welcome the world.”

With the first countries having signed their participation contracts in recent weeks, Expo 2020 Dubai will take the opportunity to detail the next steps as the number of confirmed participants climbs. This coincides with the launch of innovative Participants’ Portal to boost coordination between the Organiser and the participants and to ensure that the planning and development of national pavilions goes ahead smoothly.

The possible locations of the future pavilions will be shown on an organised visit to the Expo site, where key infrastructures and thematic districts are taking shape. Underlining the importance of legacy to Expo 2020, the Organiser will also highlight its post-Expo plans for the site, which will be transformed into a sustainable residential, commercial and cultural neighbourhood dubbed “District 2020”.

This second IPM is also the opportunity for countries to learn more about Expo 2020’s marketing and communications activities, as well as key engagement programmes such as Expo Live and YouthConnect. Additionally, round table events will give attendees the chance to learn about opportunities offered by Expo 2020 Dubai and its partners.

Organised under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, Expo 2020 Dubai will take place between 20 October 2020 and 21 April 2021, and aims to gather 180 countries from across the world. Of the estimated 25 million visitors, 70% are expected to come from outside the UAE.