Dubai: An application to host the World Expo 2020 submitted by Dubai on November 2 to the organising body International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) is an immense work-intensive effort over several years, says the BIE website.
Caretakers of the BIE application process said the act of applying is only the beginning of a long process and noted that hosts must go "through a series of steps before culminating in the actual event… Altogether, an Expo project takes several years to complete. Furthermore, there must be at least five years in between two World Expos."
The BIE confirmed that it has received Dubai's formal application nine years in advance as is the rule to qualify as a certified applicant.
"Mohammad Al Shaibani, [Director-General of the Dubai Ruler's Court], on behalf of the Government of Dubai has submitted the official letter of candidature… for an international registered exhibition to be held in the city of Dubai in the year 2020," the BIE said in a statement.
The letter was endorsed by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Officials said that the application seeks to host the event for the customary World Expo schedule for six months if Dubai emerges as the selected applicant against competing applicants Izmir of Turkey, Ayutthaya of Thailand, Sao Paulo of Brazil and Yekaterinburg of Russia.
"The expo is due to take place from January 4 to June 30, 2020, in the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future'."
Clear instructions
To help applicants navigate the maze of regulations, rules and requirements, the BIE's prepared outline gives clear instructions to cities such as Dubai that want to host an event that draws world attention.
The BIE has informed Dubai government officials that six months from its application submission date, BIE officials will send a team of scrutineers to Dubai to assess the potential host site.
"At the end of the six-month period following the submission of the first candidacy application, enquiry missions are carried out by the BIE in the candidate country or city," the BIE stated. "The enquiry missions assess the feasibility and viability of the expos project as well as the political and social climate in the candidate country and city that would ensure necessary support for the Expo project."
Assessors from the BIE team will arrive in Dubai with a complete itemised checklist against which the emirate will be graded in each category as part of the initial phase of the selection process.
In its outline, the BIE checklist includes:
- Theme of the exhibition, its definition and its contents
- Date and duration
- Location
- Area of the expo site and the area proposed to be allocated to each participant
- Number of visitors expected
- Measures proposed to ensure financial feasibility and guarantees
- Indicators which will make it possible to calculate the cost of participation and the financial and material dispositions for the participants in order to minimise the cost of their participation
- Attitude of relevant authorities and interested parties."
Dubai already meets one of the primary requirements not on the list that no country can host a World Expo within 15 years of a prior exhibitions because the UAE has never hosted the event.
If Dubai were to win the World Expo 2020 bid, it would be the first time such a global event — dubbed by some as The Olympics of exhibitions — would be hosted in the history of the Arabian Peninsula.
Meanwhile, once results of the BIE assessment team visit sometime in 2012 to Dubai are compiled, a report will be sent to the BIE executive committee which will then forward the results to the BIE general assembly.
"The general assembly decides which proposals the BIE will further investigate. Once approved, the report forms the basis of evaluation by the BIE member states during the vote."
UAE pavilion popular
The global exposure afforded Dubai as a future host would only cement major strides already achieved by leaders to place the emirate on the world map as a critical metropolitan hub midway between the West and the Far East.
The UAE's strong showing at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai serves as but a small reminder of the benefits from participating on a world stage.
When Gulf News visited the iconic UAE's pavilion last year, officials said there were a recorded two million visitors in six months.
"There is no doubt that this has been an extraordinarily successful participation for the UAE and we have been proud to represent our country to the people of China," said Salem Al Amiri, commissioner-general of the UAE pavilion at the time.
The striking gold-coloured structure — shaped in the form of sand dunes — was a strong landmark leading to high popularity among visitors.
It has been returned to the UAE and erected permanently on Yas Island for visitors to continue to enjoy.
- 73m: people visited Shanghai World Expo in 2010
- 22,900: events were held at the last World Expo
- 5.28: size of Shanghai World Expo (in sq km)
- 246: number of pavilions set up at the last Expo
