In pictures: High-tech Belarus brings its forests and folk songs to Expo 2020 Dubai

‘I’m bound to Earth and sky by a thread wondrous strong,’ reads a Belarusian poem by Yanka Kupala on the inner walls of the pavilion. The verse sets the tone for the remainder of the journey, which is shrouded in dim lights, glowing screens and a whole lot of colour green. On Wednesday, a mere two days before the opening, select media were given a tour of the towering Belarus Pavilion in the Opportunity District of Expo 2020 Dubai. Upon first glance, the building is all angles and mirrored façade, guarded by seating structures that double as futuristic tree-like structures forming a mini forest.

“Historically, if you take a look at the information on Belarus, you will see that we don’t have mountains, we don’t have access to the sea,” said Aleksandr Guryanov, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and Commissioner General of the Belarus Pavilion, in an interview with Gulf News. “The treasure of Belarus is forests – more than half of our territory is covered in them.” Belarusians draw their strength from these woodlands, where possibilities are endless, according to Guryanov.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise then that the pavilion is participating under the theme of ‘Forest of future technology’. “Many people know Belarus as a high-tech park in the centre of Europe,” he added. Indeed, an entire zone of the pavilion named Innovestment is dedicated to the leaps made by the Eastern European country in the field of technology. One Belarusian project known as TurboSphere is an energy-saving power unit on display and is part of the Expo Live Global Innovators initiative.

Throughout the pavilion, Belarus manages to find the right balance between Nature and technology. As you enter, a dark corridor leading to the escalator features a European bison or wisent on a screen. Huffing and puffing, the animal welcomes visitors surrounded by ambient twittering of birds. Along the way, do look to your right for interesting facts on the country’s landscapes, sports and arts adorning the wall.

Before you turn the corner, stop by the stunning mixed-media art piece marrying industrial and modern Belarus sitting behind a clear glass hitched on the wall. Titled ‘House (2019)’, the artwork is composed of brick and mortar castles resting on top of a tree trunk – “We are a country full of castles,” explained the guide, laughing. The attraction is a teaser of the many student projects on display up ahead.

The following zone takes visitors to a room with a large curved screen and seats lit by neon blue lights. Belarusian culture comes to life on this panel, from its natural landscapes to cuisine, bringing you an audio-visual treat.

Visitors are shuffled into another dark narrow hallway that pays homage to Belarus’ water resources with fast facts and luminous circular screens. ‘The overall length of the Belarusian watercourses is 90,600 kilometres’ reads one. Do pause at the entrance to cast a glance at the ceiling and the glistening floor for a magical illusion. Lit panels above cast a watery reflection on the ground turning into a river path you get to walk on. There’s more – the river mirage spells out the country’s name in block letters from this vantage point.

The next zone gives way to a vast space with a spiral path, a nine-metre-high illuminated fabric tree made by Belarusian artist Hristina Vysotskaya sprouts from its centre. All done by hand, the ‘Tree of Knowledge’ is spun of yarn, rope, threads and cotton in various shades of blue, and red from where the trunk is split open. This non-living entity comes bearing fruits – the innovations of the up and coming generation hanging from its woolly branches. “The tree symbolises the motherland [Belarus], and young people draw from its energy to create,” said the guide. Belarusian students’ ‘fruits of labour’ are on display at the foot of the installation anchored in the Expo subthemes of Sustainability, Mobility, and Opportunity.

You are then taken to a modern art gallery by artist and photographer Dasha Matrosova or better known as DASHA. Standing here flanked by colourful photographs, Guryanov said: “You see the faces of different Belarusian women [in here] who are represented in various areas including government, business and more. At the same time, this photo exhibit shows our traditional dresses, ornaments and the beauty of our country.” And it is very fitting for visitors to find a souvenir zone stocked with cultural takeaways at the end of their journey.

Your trip doesn't end there. A cosy stage tucked into the face of the pavilion will regularly host live performances by folklore ensembles and troupes. The media were lucky enough to catch one of these on the way out - called 'Talaka', the five-piece ensemble gently sashayed from left to right while belting out the best of Belarusian musical heritage in folk costumes. Gather around or relax under the shade of the futuristic 'trees' and let the spirited voices transport you to Belarus.