Online booking now open for Cop28 Green Zone day passes

More than 100 free events open to the public at Cop28 climate summit

A rehearsal of 'Alya in Terraland,' a musical on climate change that will be open to all visitors of the Cop28 green zone at Expo City Dubai. The performance urges the audience to leave a positive impact on the environment. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Hend Al Mheiri, director of special projects at Expo City Dubai, Marjan Faraidooni, chief of education and culture, Nadia Verjee, executive director of Expo Dubai Group, Matt Brown, chief of sustainability at Expo City Dubai, and Yousuf Caires, executive director of the Expo Live Innovation Programme announce Expo City Dubai's public programming for Cop28.

Hend Al Mheiri, director of special projects Expo City Dubai, said hosting Cop28 shows the UAE's commitment to working towards environmental sustainability and helping to address the global challenges of climate change.

A rehearsal at the Terra Pavilion, of the musical Alya in Terraland, at Expo City.

Cast members during the rehearsal of Alya in Terraland.

Reused material from palm trees has been used in Cop28 signs across Expo City Dubai.

Matt Brown, sustainability chief, Expo City Dubai (left) and Yousuf Caires, executive director, Expo Live Innovation Programme, share details of an organic farm and workshops on climate action open to all in the Cop28 green zone.

Ms Faraidooni says youth engagement is a key component of Cop28.

A 45-minute musical Alya in Terraland aims to inspire people to participate in climate discussions.

Sustainable material has been used in the Cop28 signs across Expo City Dubai.

More than 100 events and workshops will be free and open to the public at the Cop28 Green Zone, located in Expo City Dubai’s Sustainability District, officials said on Tuesday.

Those looking to visit the Green Zone between December 3 and December 12 will require a pass, which is free of charge and provides one-time access on a given day.

Booking for the free Green Zone Day Pass is now available on the Cop28 website, which has a detailed map of the site. Each ticket is valid only for the day it's booked for and cannot be used for several entries.

Gates to Expo City Dubai will open at 9am and shut at 10pm daily, and the events and pavilions within begin operations at 10am. Visitors are encouraged to use the Dubai Metro to travel to Cop28.

Airport-level security checks that were used during Expo 2020 will return.

“It is fitting that many of the exhibitions for the Cop28 Green Zone are in the Terra Sustainability Pavilion that started during the Expo with the mission of inspiring everyone to care about the environment,” said Marjan Faraidooni, chief of education and culture, Expo City Dubai, announcing details of the programme in Dubai on Tuesday.

“We are proud to get students back to the site with programmes targeting schoolchildren aged eight until high school.”

Daily programmes on food security, reusing waste and composting will be hosted at the Terra Sustainability Pavilion, which resembles a massive sunshade covered with solar panels.

Discussions by climate change innovators and entrepreneurs will be organised at a new Expo City Dubai pavilion.

An organic farm will be part of the attractions, as will a farm-to-table cafe, and registration will be open for cooking masterclasses with regional and global chefs. The farm will continue to operate after Cop28 ends.

“They will not just be visiting Terra and participating in workshops – we are working closely with Cop to have journeys across the site for students,” Ms Faraidooni said.

Where is the Blue Zone and Green Zone?

The Blue Zone at Cop28 will be open from November 30 to heads of state, accredited government officials, media and is managed by the UN.

The Blue Zone covers Rove Hotel and the Dubai Exhibition Centre, and it will also include Al Wasl Plaza, the 360-degree projection dome, until December 3.

Several Mobility and Opportunity district buildings are part of the Blue Zone.

People are encouraged to use the metro. Shuttle buses will take visitors from the metro station to Green Zone arrival plazas.

The Green Zone will include the Sustainability district, Alif or the Mobility pavilion, the Vision and Women’s pavilions, the Surreal water feature, Al Forsan park and some sections of the Mobility district that feature a youth and green hub.

The general public can gain access to the site from the Opportunity, Sustainability and Mobility arrival plazas.

An area has been set aside for protests by climate activists called Voice for Action. The space will be within the Green Zone and located near the Mobility zone entrance.

Climate action musical

A 45-minute musical, Alya in Terraland, running on December 7, 11 and 12, is focused on encouraging families to make a difference.

In the production, the main character Alya, from the UAE, meets creatures such as an angry orang-utan and a wise octopus who explain how people are destroying the environment.

“It’s an ode to the arts and is about how the arts can play a role in creating an awareness around the climate,” Ms Faraidooni said.

“It ends with Alya understanding how we can make a choice to be different.

“The beautiful thing is the use of music to bring to life a message that everybody can be part of the discussion on climate action.”

Organic farm

Near the organic farm, visitors will see an indoor hydroponic vertical farm with edible flowers, herbs and greens as well as a mushroom farm.

“The farm will address water scarcity, farming techniques and place an emphasis on education,” said Matt Brown, sustainability chief at Expo City Dubai.

“The farm will be open to all visitors, delegates, schools.”

The outdoor farm is being set up in partnership with Emirates Bio Farm, the UAE’s largest organic farm and will grow fruits and vegetables to be used in an on-site cafe.

The Green Zone day pass for entry to Expo City Dubai pavilions is available at www.cop28.com

Information on daily workshops and registration for specific events in the Green Zone is available on the Expo City Dubai website.