Shereen Shabnam
Expo 2020 Dubai, the world’s greatest show concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony. As the venue was part of our life for six months, we say farewell by featuring some of our favourite pavilions, expo partners and attractions on site that put a smile on our faces.
Nissan – Our Favourite Expo Partner
Our motoring centric team were vmost excited with the Expo’s Official Automotive Partner, Nissan. The brand showcased its global expertise, regional heritage, and forward-looking vision and leveraging Expo’s global platform, Nissan spotlighted its Ambition 2030 goal to empower mobility and beyond.
The six-month extravaganza, Expo 2020 Dubai, offered Nissan a platform to showcase its leadership to a global audience, as well as inspire, and engage with stakeholders from multiple industries to shift towards a greener, safer, and more connected future.
Nissan’s partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai served as a natural translation of its shared vision with the global fair to bring stakeholders together to foster growth opportunities, create value and make advanced mobility solutions accessible for all. Led by its Ambition 2030 plans, Nissan drew on its partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai to highlight its long-term strategy that places a strong focus on electrification and exciting vehicles that empower customer journeys and society.
Marking the start of its activities at Expo 2020 Dubai, Nissan launched its ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, which was developed especially for its partnership with the global event and was a call to action for audiences to join the brand on the journey towards a more sustainable future. The campaign demonstrated the alignment of the brand’s vision for the future of mobility with Expo’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, and served as the ideal precursor to the first regional showcase of the eagerly anticipated Ariya, Nissan’s first all-electric crossover that provides a glimpse into the future of mobility.
Building on the enticing campaign, Nissan’s invitation to engage with stakeholders and accelerate the shift to a safer, smarter, more connected world, was further cemented by hosting its very own Nissan Leadership Series at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Coinciding with the Year of Patrol, Expo 2020 Dubai was the world-stage of the breathtaking celebrations that marked the 70th anniversary of the legendary Nissan Patrol. Solidifying its SUV dominance and longstanding heritage across the Middle East, Nissan celebrated the first-ever SUV launch at the dazzling Al Wasl Plaza with the debut of the 2022 Nissan Patrol 70th Anniversary model and the regional premiere of the all-new Nissan Pathfinder 2022.
Playing a vital role in the future of mobility, Nissan also participated in various speaker sessions hosted by Expo, including ‘Cities on the Move’, ‘Age of Disruption – How Tech Innovation is Shaping Our New Normal’, and ‘Driving Change: Women in the Automotive Industry’. As a key partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, Nissan also engaged in the first physical Expo Partners Meeting and the unique Sustainability Portal opening, reaffirming Expo 2020 Dubai’s vision with Nissan’s purpose of driving innovation that enriches people’s lives.
Salties – Our Favourite Eating Venue at Expo 2020
Our favourite Restaurant to spend time eating, working and meet people was Salties Beach Bar and Grill by Grenada that had an Indoor Beach Bar showcasing Sustainability, Accessibility, and the World’s Best Culture of Caribbean Entertainment. Thankfully, we can enjoy the Salties vibe still at the Outlet Village Mall as the place kept us fuelled up with the best food and oysters in the evenings..
Salties is a made in Dubai concept by a new generation of Dubai expats with an international flair and it featured a fresh juice bar as well as our favourite Gelato station. It was the perfect place for the staff living on-site as it provided them with a relaxed ambience where they listened to music and socialized with their friends and colleagues without needing to go into town.
Starting from the idea that Dubai is on the beach, a symbol of freedom, guests could take their shoes off and feel the sand through their toes. The Salties team sourced beautiful furniture which had been abandoned by other people in the past with its own history, modified and transformed them through colours, writings, and repairs and gave them a new life naming every piece of furniture with famous places and beaches of Grenada, like Saint George and Castle Hill.
There were little islands within the restaurant that brought pieces of the world together, just like the country of Grenada, famously known as “The Spice Isle”, consisting of the main island of Grenada and 8 satellite islands.
Salties also had different evenings paying a special tribute to every country on their National Day celebrations after 9 pm, so that the nationals of each country could feel at home at Salties and citizens of that country could enjoy special discounts off the total bill on their national day.
Salties had the best coffee available in Dubai made by Attibassi winner of many quality coffee competition specially for Salties with the latest model of the best coffee machine “La Spaziale “. It certainly was a home away from home for people coming over for the 6-month duration of Expo 2020 whilst at the same time shining the spotlight on sustainability.
Malaysia Pavilion – A Hit Amongst Visitors during Expo 2020 Dubai
The Malaysia Pavilion was one of the most popular amongst visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai as many called it one of the top pavilions they visited. With the theme “Energising Sustainability,” the pavilion marked its one millionth visitor during the second week of March. In addition, it was also named one of the top three Best Sustainable Designs at Expo 2020 Dubai by the EXHIBITOR Magazine’s World Expo Awards.
Throughout the six months, the showcased many cultural elements and live entertainment with interactive workshops. The video presentation about Malaysia’s efforts to preserve its rainforest was a hit amongst their children as Lilly and Oscar simultaneously shouted out with glee “the rainforest” when asked what they enjoyed the most. The pavilion won many awards during the course of the World Expo.
The pavilion is designed with a Rainforest Canopy concept and has seven exhibition halls which are named as canopies. They are the exhibit halls of Malaysian Rainforest, Sustainable Agricommodities, Malaysia 2030 (two halls), Re-energising the Future, Smart City and Smart Network.
Rated amongst the visitors’ favourite part of the pavilion was Canopy 1 entitled “Malaysian Rainforest” which transports them to an immersive rainforest experience through a 3D digital show, and Canopy 4 themed ‘Re-Energising the Future’ which showcases oil and gas company PETRONAS’ transformation plan and aspiration towards Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, through a hanging cube with 5 LED surfaces.
The Malaysia Café, with a menu of traditional Malaysian cuisine by Nur Malaysia and popular fast food chain, Marrybrown, was just as popular. Marrybrowns was rated as the best affordable restaurant to eat at by both Gulf News and Dubai Night. It is not uncommon to find a queue stretching outside the café especially during weekends.
The Malaysia Pavilion instilled in visitors the importance of creating a sustainable future and showcased the nation’s sustainable industries through 26 weekly thematic business and trade programmes. Malaysia’s self-built 1,234.05 sq meter pavilion was the first net zero carbon pavilion at the EXPO. The Pavilion featured a rainforest canopy inspired by the majestic tropical rainforest of Malaysia, blending cultural elements with nature and functionality into a futuristic building.
Malaysia’s activities during the EXPO will included permanent 3D displays, daily cultural performances, craft demonstrations, café operations as well as 26 weekly thematic trade and business programmes. The business weeks involved a large contingent of 21 ministries, 70 departments and agencies and five state governments initiating and supporting the programmes.
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