What the Emirates is doing to ensure a great Expo 2020 (in 2021)

Dubai's chance to host one of the world's greatest gatherings is delayed by a year, but the preparations have not stopped

Al Wasl Plaza. Expo-led construction is on track to be completed by the end of the year. Victor Besa / The National

Construction under way on Al Wasl Plaza, where photovoltaic ‘trees’ that will help power the site. Victor Besa / The National

The Al Wasl Plaza, where 40,000 workers are shaping the venue for the international fair. Victor Besa / The National

Construction under way on the main exhibition centre that will connect to the metro station being built. Victor Besa / The National

Signs point to buildings yet to be completed but developers say construction is going according to schedule. Victor Besa / The National

The sustainability pavilion rises from the sand. Victor Besa / The National

Construction under way on the main exhibition centre. Victor Besa / The National

More than 100 million man-hours have been completed at the Expo site. Victor Besa / The National

Construction began in 2015 when 250,000 cubic metres of sand was moved to the site. Victor Besa / The National

The Al Wasl Plaza, where 40,000 workers are shaping the venue for the world’s fair. Victor Besa / The National

One of the most powerful lessons learnt from Covid-19 has been that we are stronger and more effective when we work together. This much has been apparent by people, communities and governments who have united in the fight against the pandemic.

The UAE has been at the forefront of this response, distributing more than 1,200 tonnes of medical aid to 107 countries, and supporting more than 1.2 million frontline healthcare workers. This has demonstrated the country's humanitarianism, co-operation and commitment to create a better future.

It is this vision and ‘can-do’ spirit that Expo 2020 Dubai seeks to emulate when it opens on the new confirmed date of October 1, 2021.

The decision to postpone our World Expo was necessary to allow participants to tackle the virus in their countries.

As part of a global community, we have shown ingenuity, understanding and compassion, as well as a desire and demand for change. Expo 2020 will seize that spirit and bring together more than 190 countries and some of the world’s brightest minds to tackle challenges that face us all.

Our work has already begun.

Expo Live, Expo 2020’s innovation and partnership programme provides funding and support to start-ups from around the world. In March, we launched a Dh3.7 million Expo Live Emergency Relief Fund, inviting existing global innovators to apply for additional grant funding of between Dh184,000 and Dh367,000. The fund has supported 15 organisations from 13 countries and is to help those facing hardships and those who need support to continue to play their role in fighting Covid-19.

These include InvestEd, a Filipino fintech start-up that has created new financial products to assist low-income students to continue their education remotely; Canada’s Attollo, which has adapted its ‘talking stickers’ to disseminate health and safety information on Covid-19 in some of India’s worst-affected states; and MeeTwo, a UK-based mental-health organisation helping young people cope with the emotional strain of the pandemic.

Here in the UAE, a series of timely precautions and robust testing is allowing us to detect the virus early and treat it. Expo 2020, our participants, official partners and contractors have all played their parts, making health and safety a priority and putting in place a range of measures to protect our workforce.

Expo’s 24/7 on-site Emergency Centre, for example, run by Dubai Health Authority, conducts a series of checks for early detection of the virus, while special Covid-19 guidelines and awareness training have been issued to all contractors on site to comply with government health guidelines. Expo 2020 also opened two testing facilities for workers onsite and testing was implemented on a wide scale with the involvement of Expo staff and volunteers.

The majority of Expo’s office staff began to work from home in March. Technologies from Cisco, our official premier digital network partner, have allowed us to continue preparing to host next year's Expo.

These initiatives combined illustrate the UAE’s commitment to advance its humanitarian goals. They highlight the spirit of collaboration and inclusivity of a country that within 50 years has established itself as a dynamic and future-focused nation.

Expo 2020 will grasp this momentum and offer a potent platform for international co-operation from which we can reflect on how we persevered in the face of Covid-19. It will allow us to look to the future with renewed energy, determination and commitment.

No one can predict what the world will look like when we open in October 2021. But if Covid-19 has taught us anything it is that by working together and standing shoulder to shoulder, humanity’s ability to effect change knows no bounds.

Yousuf Luiz Caires is senior vice president of Expo Live, Expo 2020 Dubai