Expo 2020 Dubai's pavilions to turn their lights out for special Earth Hour parade

About 60 pavilions will turn off their illumination for a minute each during the hour-long Switch Off Parade

Expo 2020 will play a part in the symbolic lights-out movement. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Expo 2020 Dubai will black out on Saturday evening as it switches off the lights of its pavilions to mark Earth Hour.

The global event, which encourages people to turn off all non-essential electricity for one hour to raise awareness of climate change and nature loss, will see the world fair’s pavilions cloaked in darkness between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.

Expo 2020 will mark the event with a Switch Off Parade, during which pavilions will turn their lights out one by one. The parade will start at 8.30pm at the Peru Pavilion and end at the UK pavilion at 9.30pm.

Sixty of Expo’s pavilions will each turn their lights off for a minute during the hour, and visitors will be able to follow along with the Dubai Police Marching Band leading the parade around the site.

“It is apt to be carrying out this year’s event at Expo 2020 as it embodies the UAE’s vision of being at the forefront of sustainable development through innovation,” said Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, director-general of Emirates Nature-WWF.

“Although Expo 2020 is coming to an end, the legacy of what has been built — the ideas, the cooperation, and the symbolism of the world in one place looking towards a prosperous future where people and planet collaboratively thrive — illuminates how we must move forward. We are proud to be powering down at Expo 2020 and playing a part in the symbolic lights-out movement.”

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is a global call to action organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature. It takes place at 8.30pm annually on the last Saturday of March, urging people around the world to switch off their lights and any unnecessary electronics for one hour.