Expo 2020 was most popular event hashtag of the year, Twitter reveals

Other popular events mentioned online include Ramadan, Arafat and Year of the 50th

Elementary and junior high school students from the Japanese School in Dubai perform 'Nanchu Soran' – a traditional dance – on Japan Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Women in traditional dress attended the ceremony.

The official opening ceremony for Japan Day at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The modern Japanese martial art of Aikido is performed.

Japanese taiko drums are played.

Hahah, aged 7, at the opening ceremony.

Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced technology, at the opening ceremony.

Many visitors flocked to Japan's pavilion.

A drummer performs.

The Japanese flag is raised.

People wave Japanese flags.

Expo 2020 Dubai topped the list of most popular event hashtags in the UAE for 2021, Twitter has said.

The social media platform tallied up the number of times certain big events were tagged in tweets and crowned the six-month world's fair the winner.

Expo 2020 Dubai opened its doors to visitors on October 1 and will continue to welcome crowds until March 31.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted a photo in October from a visit to the Expo site.

Describing the occasion as his “best personal encounter at expo so far”, the image showed a little girl who had wanted to meet Sheikh Mohammed running into his arms.

The picture received 36,700 likes, becoming the most liked tweet in the UAE for 2021.

The top four event hashtags all celebrated key milestones and regional cultural moments.

Coming in second was the hashtag to celebrate Ramadan, followed by ones for Arafat and the recent national milestone Year of the 50th.

In 2021, government-related topics were among the most popular social media conversations in the Emirates.

Sheikh Mohammed was also the author of the second most liked tweet in the UAE.

Posted in February, it celebrated the Hope space probe entering the orbit of Mars on its first attempt. The tweet gained more than 36,000 likes.

At the end of each year, Twitter highlights the key conversations which took place on the platform through the year. Hashtags, handles, tweets and emojis are analysed to discover which stories have led the public conversation over the previous 12 months.