Dubai is competing against four other cities including Ayutthaya in Thailand, Sao Paulo in Brazil, Yekaterinburg in Russia and Izmir in Turkey. The winning city will be announced in November this year following a vote by the 163 member nations of the Bureau International des Exposition
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Date: May 15 – November 15, 2020
Theme: Power of Diversity, Harmony for Growth
The Expo will be hosted at the Pirituba Convention and Exhibition Center, located in the northwest of Sao Paulo, the world’s ninth most populous and tenth wealthiest city. The exhibition site will cover an area of 502 hectares, the equivalent of four times of the size of Anhembi, currently the city’s largest exhibition centre. Expo Sao Paulo site will include a conference centre, an exhibition area, a shopping mall, hotels, facilities and services. Access to the site will be facilitated by its proximity to major transport connections, such as main roads and the city ring road. In addition, a new subway line will be constructed and new stations will be added.
Izmir, Turkey
Date: April 30 – October 31, 2020
Theme: New Routes to a Better World, Health for All
Izmir, at Turkey’s uniqe geographic location which connects Asia and Europe, the Black Sea and Mediterranean, is the eastern point of West, and the western point of East. The site enables a smooth transportation plan for the Expo. The key potentials of the site include integration to the urban context and rich city fabric with a high legacy and post-use potential. The site’s waterfront location has a long-term potential as a basis for new urban development serving the entire Izmir. The goal of Izmir in bidding the Expo 2020 is to help to establish the basis for a better world.
Ayutthaya, Thailand
Date: January 15 – June 15, 2020
Theme: Redefine Globalisation, Balanced Life, Sustainable living
Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam (old name of Thailand) from 1351 to 1767, is easily accessible for Thailand and its neighboring countries. The Thai government has approved the plans to extend its mass transit network, specially the rapid trains system which links directly to the future World Expo site. The place of Thailand’s first connection with foreigners, Ayuttaya was once a diplomatic crossroad and a bustling centre of trade of the region, making it a perfect location from which Thailand can once again open its doors to the world. Forty-five minutes drive away from Bangkok, Ayutthaya is a city of perfect balance – a place where industry and agriculture coexist, where tradition and innovation go hand in hand.
Ekaterinburg, Russia
Dates: May 1 – October 31, 2020
Theme: The Global Mind
Ekaterinburg is planning to develop a 400-plus hectare Expo venue, which would be the second largest site in Expo history behind Shanghai Expo 2010. Having hosted a number of domestic and international events in recent years, Ekaterinburg is Russia’s fourth largest city, a major Eurasian transport hub, and an industrial and business centre. Situated on the border of Europe and Asia, 1,677 km east of Moscow, Ekaterinburg is also the administrative centre of the Sverdlovsk region and the main city of the Urals Federal District of the Russian Federation. Russia’s objective of the bid is to engage the world in an open dialogue about its shared future and help enhance the transformation of the country towards a more open and expressive society.
