Luxembourg first to break ground on its Expo pavilion

Dubai: On Sunday Luxembourg became the first foreign nation to break ground on its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. The spiral-shaped Luxembourg Pavilion will house an exhibition space, a multi-purpose area, a restaurant, a shop, administrative offices and technical facilities.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held in the presence of the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider, who was accompanied by Najeeb Mohammad Al-Ali, Executive Director of Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau and other executives.

Luxembourg was the first country to sign an Official Participation Contract for Expo 2020 in October 2017.

“This Pavilion will be a wonderful opportunity for us to promote what our country stands for — innovation and sustainable development. It will have an eye-catching design that will appeal to all ages and interests, and we hope will be a major attraction for the millions of people attending Expo 2020,” Schneider said in a statement on Monday.

The design and architecture will focus on the issues related to resources, by relying on the principles of the circular economy and interconnection. It will illustrate Luxembourg’s ambition, promoting the country’s commitment to sustainable growth. The theme of the pavilion — ‘Resourceful Luxembourg’ — aims to reflect the country’s status as a smart nation that connects the human, natural, technical, industrial and financial resources it needs to shape its future.

“From now on, pavilions will start to take physical shape alongside some of the inspiring structures that we at Expo 2020 Dubai are now building, such as the Al Wasl Plaza and Sustainability Pavilion,” said Al-Ali.

Luxembourg and the UAE enjoy strong bilateral relations and have signed a number of cooperative agreements in the areas of space exploration, financial services and trade.

Schneider was joined at Sunday’s ceremony by Maggy Nagel, President of the Board of Management of Luxembourg at Expo 2020 Dubai and Elisabeth Cardoso, Luxembourg’s Ambassador to the UAE.