Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai served as the main venue for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's participation in "Expo 2020 Dubai", held in the United Arab Emirates from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. The pavilion encapsulated the Kingdom's ambitions and future visions, alongside its history, heritage, and abundant opportunities. It also showcased stories of beginnings, as well as the journey of development and progress.

Due to its innovative and sustainable designs, the Saudi Pavilion at "Expo 2020 Dubai" was awarded the Platinum certificate under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The pavilion was distinguished by its diverse services and the presentation of content through modern, interactive methods that narrated the nature of the location, the history of its people, and its past, present, and future.

The Saudi Pavilion also won the award for Best Pavilion, along with two honorary awards, as selected by EXHIBITOR magazine, which grants awards at every edition of the world exhibition. The Saudi Pavilion received the award for Best Pavilion in the Large Pavilions category at "Expo 2020 Dubai". Additionally, it was honored with the award for Best Exterior Design and the award for Best Presentation.

The design of the Saudi Pavilion at "Expo 2020 Dubai" was based on key pillars that attracted the attention of experts in design and creativity. These pillars include the Kingdom's rich national heritage, a vibrant society deeply rooted in its traditions, the stunning natural landscapes, and the future opportunities for the country and its people. These elements led the pavilion to achieve three Guinness World Records for the largest interactive digital mirror screen, the longest interactive water curtain, and the largest interactive light floor in the world.

The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai featured an art exhibition titled "Vision," a Saudi-led project overseen by a group of artists. The exhibition was presented as a thirteen-m diameter sphere with an interactive floor, guiding visitors through an immersive visual and auditory journey into Saudi culture, utilizing the latest global technologies. The pavilion also showcased a realistic representation of fourteen cultural and archaeological sites across the Kingdom, offering visitors a journey that reflects the geographical and environmental diversity of Saudi provinces and their unique characteristics. Additionally, it provided an auditory and visual experience that took visitors through twenty-three distinct sites, each with its own environmental, geographical, and natural features.

The Saudi Pavilion at "Expo 2020 Dubai" implemented a university training program aimed at inspiring young Saudi talent through preparation and training in several key fields. The pavilion also launched an online employment portal offering a diverse range of opportunities in areas such as customer service, hospitality and protocol, health and safety, and crowd management.

Through this initiative, the Kingdom's pavilion aimed to give young men and women from the Kingdom the opportunity to be part of the first international Expo held in the region. The initiative also sought to enhance their professional skills and educational qualifications by involving them in a model environment of various professional activities, providing them with valuable experience, and offering the chance to engage with visitors from around the world. This allowed them to share unique stories about the rich diversity, historical significance, and deep-rooted cultures of the Kingdom.

The Saudi Cultural Mission in the United Arab Emirates supervised the Saudi students involved in enhancing training opportunities and was part of the committee responsible for selecting the trainees. The training period coincided with the event, and acceptance into the program required students to have completed their academic hours at their universities and to be enrolled in majors related to the exhibition's activities and interests.

The timeline for the "Expo 2020 Dubai" event spanned from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, under the theme "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future." Among 190 participating countries, the Kingdom presented a distinctive pavilion in both design and content, occupying a central location in the expo with an area of approximately 13,059 m².

The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 brought to life several cultural, archaeological, and historical sites from the Kingdom. Notable among these were Historic Jeddah, al-Masmak Fortress and at-Turaif Neighborhood in Riyadh, rock art in Hail Province, Hijr City in al-Ula, al-Shinanah Tower in Qassim, Standing Columns of Rajajil and Omar Ibn al-Khattab Mosque in al-Jawf, Qaisariya Souq Gate in al-Hufuf, al-Ahsa Oasis and Ibrahim Historical Palace in al-Ahsa, Rijal Alma'a Heritage Village in Aseer Province, and the Emirate Palace and al-Aan Palace in Najran.

The Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2020 offered an extraordinary journey through various locations, allowing visitors to virtually travel to significant sites such as the Grand Mosque, the heritage village of Dhee Ayn in al-Bahah Province, Maraya Concert Hall in al-Ula, the Nabatean tombs in Hijr, Shaybah Oil Field, al-Wahbah Crater, Farasan Islands, and other modern landmarks like Jeddah Waterfront, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, Maraya Concert Hall in al-Ula, King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, and the Tantora Hot Air Balloon Festival.

The Kingdom's modern development projects were also featured in the pavilion, represented by an electronic display surrounded by 2,030 scenographic crystals symbolizing Saudi Vision 2030. This display showcased some of the Kingdom's most significant ongoing projects, such as ad-Dir'iyyah Gate Development Project, Qiddiya Project, the Red Sea Project, in addition to the Saudi Green Initiative, the Middle East Green Initiative, and King Salman Park.

The Kingdom's Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai featured a specialized platform known as the "Discovery Center," designed to identify and explore opportunities. The center was modeled to resemble the Kingdom's map, with an interactive digital table that showcased a vast collection of data related to various aspects of life in the Kingdom. The data was categorized into sectors such as economy, tourism, culture, energy, and investment sectors.

On March 31, 2022, the Saudi Pavilion at "Expo 2020 Dubai" celebrated the conclusion of its participation in the international exhibition.

The pavilion achieved a record by attracting nearly five million visitors from various nationalities, representing more than 23.46 percent of the total visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai, the highest visitor rate in the history of international "Expo" exhibitions. The pavilion hosted more than 230 diverse cultural and social programs, including thirty-five events specifically for children and families, 109 cultural programs, eleven business programs, and thirty-four collaborative programs with other countries' pavilions. These collaborations included events such as the India-Gulf Business Forum, Saudi-Swedish Days, and "Invest in Saudi" initiative, which saw participation from twenty-four countries around the world.

In its final days, the pavilion hosted the announcement of the Kingdom's launch of its promotional campaign to host the World Expo 2030 in Riyadh, in collaboration with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. The event highlighted some of the key strategic projects currently underway, including the construction of one of the world's largest public transportation networks, the development of one of the largest urban parks, a major urban greening project, and efforts to transform the city into an open-air art gallery.