Expo 2020 Dubai: highlights to see with only one month left of world's fair

An impressive line-up of events from musical performances to critical discussions on the planet awaits

A child plays at a fountain by the UK Pavilion. All Photos: Expo 2020 Dubai

Visitors inside Al Wasl Plaza during events held in the run up to UAE Rare Disease Day. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

The Expo has reported record visitors numbers in recent days, as school trips resume and more countries ease travel restrictions. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Visitors on Ghaf Avenue at the Expo site. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

People take photos at Surreal - The Water Feature.

Visitors take in the scenes at the world's fair.

Some of the exhibits inside the Bahrain Pavilion.

Al Wasl Plaza is considered a must-see for many visitors.

Visitors outside the Switzerland Pavilion. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

People wait to enter the Saudi Arabia Pavilion.

It’s now or never — that is the message Expo organisers have sent out with less than a month to go before the mega event ends after drawing millions to Dubai.

Concerts by top performers including AR Rahman, the Oscar-winning composer, with the Firdaus women’s orchestra, and insightful forums on the state of the planet make up the calendar for March — the last month before the Expo 2020 Dubai ends.

Across social media platforms, organisers have urged residents and tourists to pay a visit to the site: "Join us at Expo2020 Dubai ― now or never, before it's gone forever".

Some highlights coming in the last month include 300 athletes from 30 countries competing in the World Aerial Gymnastics Championship 2022 next week at the Expo sports arena.

The popular musical Why? created by director Shekhar Kapur is staying on for an extra week until March 5.

The show that aims to get the audience thinking about a cleaner, healthier planet is told through the story of a young girl and an elderly man.

To celebrate international Women’s Day, visitors will be in for a treat of stage shows and discussions.

A three-day gathering from March 6-8 will take a close look at cultural and professional biases that women face as part of a Break the Bias forum.

Performances are planned of well-known voices who speak up for women’s empowerment from artist Natacha Atlas, known for fusing contemporary Arabic and Western pop cultures and Tania Saleh, Lebanese singer-songwriter, during a two-day music festival on March 6-7.

Connecting people in conversations and sparking ideas is among the notable experiences the Expo has sought to create with weeks dedicated to climate, space, tolerance, travel and inclusion.

“Conversations can be a powerful force in creating the future, yet in our digital age we may have lost the art of conversation,” Federica Busa, Expo 2020 Dubai’s senior vice president visitor experience has said about the role of the majlis or social gathering in engaging people.

In a recent interview published by Bureau International des Expositions, organisers of the world's fairs, she said the hope was that the concept of the majlis and the ideas that it inspires will be part of future World Expos.

Protecting the world’s most precious resource — water, improving access to sanitation, how to save the oceans are some of the key subjects that will be the focus of the theme weeks in March.

For those keen on unique experiences — women can stretch and exercise at Surreal, the Expo 2020 water feature.

The weekly yoga class for women only is available every Monday morning and free for Expo ticket holders.

Visitors can also gain an interesting perspective of the site through bike tours that are conducted daily at 10am and 4pm.

A 10-minute dazzling drone and light show at the China pavilion is another memorable experience for visitors.

Hundreds of drones take to the sky above the red, lantern-shaped pavilion at 8pm daily and dance to music as they shift shapes to form leaves, stars and butterflies.

With less than a month left, the site is set to go well past 15 million visits after British band Coldplay received a rousing reception earlier this month.