Expo 2020 Dubai: Every country to get 'honour day' celebration

Each country will host a spectacular entertainment event during the six-month event

Every country will celebrate its national day or have an honour day at Al Wasl Plaza during Expo 2020 Dubai. All photos: Expo 2020 Dubai

Artists from the 191 nations at 2020 Expo Dubai will feature in the busy entertainment programme at Expo.

The entertainment programme will cover all genres, including music, dance, theatre, spoken word, immersive projections, light installations, sports, fitness and wellbeing activities.

An honour day will be held for international organisations participating at Expo on the day they have nominated.

Each country will provide entertainment in the form of a cultural performance on its national day.

Expo will also have an extensive business programme running throughout the six months.

Each country participating in Expo 2020 Dubai will be able to celebrate their national day — or an honour day — during the six-month event.

Al Wasl Plaza will host the celebrations, which will include raising the country’s flag and playing its national anthem, organisers revealed on Thursday.

The countries will then provide entertainment in the form of a cultural performance at the plaza.

“Each of the participants also has the opportunity to lead our daily parade, which will happen every day, on site, at Expo,” Kate Randall, vice president of events and entertainment at Expo 2020 Dubai, told a media briefing.

An honour day will be held for countries whose national days do not fall within the six months of the event.

When two national days or honour days are held on the same day, one will be observed in the morning and one in the afternoon.

One of the highlights of the six-month Expo will be the celebration of the UAE Golden Jubilee, held over the course of a month, starting in early November.

Artists from the 191 nations at Expo will feature in the busy entertainment programme, which will include home-grown talent, regional favourites and global headliners.

The Christmas-New Year period, Diwali and Chinese New Year will be among the entertainment highlights at Expo, but organisers have said to also expect daily events.

Oscar-winning AR Rahman’s pioneering women's ensemble, the Firdaus Orchestra, and Bollywood sensation Sonam Kapoor are two of the acts that will appear.

In addition to music, the entertainment schedule will include dance, theatre, spoken word, immersive projections and light installations as well as fitness and wellness activities.

Expo 2020 will also have an extensive business programme, with many countries using the first major global event since the start of the pandemic as an opportunity to re-engage with trade partners and establish new ties.

The programme includes 13 business forums that are being organised in collaboration with Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and a further 10 forums that will run alongside each of Expo’s theme weeks.