Dubai: The stunning and beautifully-executed visual projections on Al Wasl dome — the beating heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, and now Expo City Dubai — will come back to life on Saturday, October 1, at 6.15pm (after evening prayer).
Al Wasl’s 360-degree projection surface “will once again immerse visitors in a spellbinding visual theatre, merging awe-inspiring technologies with some of the world’s most creative minds and demonstrating the deep-rooted values and vision of the UAE”. It also heralds the official launch of Expo City Dubai, which had a soft commencement early this month with the reopening Alif (Mobility) and Terra (Sustainability) pavilions.
Al Wasl projections will take place five evenings a week — from Wednesday to Sunday and are open to all visitors to enjoy a magical and masterful display of stunning visuals and stirring music as the sun sets, free of charge.
Expo legacy
Expo City Dubai builds on the legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai and is part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. It has retained 80 per cent of the infrastructure of the World Expo that ran from October 1, 2021 to March 31 this year, and recorded 24 million visits.
The city is founded “on a deep-rooted belief that a broad coalition of people, working together, can propel human progress to help create a more sustainable and dignified future for all.” A clean, green, innovation-driven, human-centric city of the future, Expo City Dubai is also designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban planning, galvanising action on its journey to net-zero.
Attractions pass
On Monday, Expo City Dubai has launched a one-day Attractions Pass — valid from 1 October onwards — that will allow visitors to enjoy all its flagship pavilions for Dh120. Available online, the Attractions Pass will initially grant visitors access to Vision Pavilion and Women’s Pavilion, as well as Terra and Alif pavilions, and will evolve to include more pavilions and attractions as they open.
Children aged 12 and under and People of Determination can visit the attractions for free but are required to obtain their complimentary pass at one of Expo City Dubai’s ticketing booths; while everyone can enjoy for free daily access to the Surreal water feature and Al Wasl Plaza.
For those visitors not taking advantage of the Attractions Pass, individual pavilion tickets cost Dh50 per person per pavilion and free for children aged 12 and under and People of Determination.
Immersive experiences
The advance opening of Alif and Terra pavilions on Sep. 1 was aligned with the opening of schools in the UAE, as Expo School Programme is aimed at offering immersive educational experiences, exhibits and interactive workshops, reflecting the themes of the pavilions. Expo City Dubai has recently welcomed back school groups, with special programming offered exclusively to the educational community, priced separately.
Attractions at Terra encourage visitors to re-evaluate their relationship with the environment through an immersive journey through ocean and forest, while Alif transports visitors through time and across new horizons to discover how mobility has driven human progress throughout history.
The Vision Pavilion, meanwhile, celebrates the life and leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with visitors learning about his childhood and the experiences that influenced his bold vision for Dubai and the UAE.
Women’s Pavilion, on the other hand, demonstrates an important principle: “When women thrive, humanity thrives”. The pavilion reaffirms a commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, while celebrating women’s achievements and successes, highlighting the challenges they still face, and exploring ways to work together for a more equal world.
More attractions
Garden in the Sky, with its 360-degree views, will also open in October. Other pavilions that will re-open include the falcon-inspired UAE Pavilion and KSA pavilion, Details of other country pavilions, including the reworked version of the pavilions of India, Pakistan, Luxembourg, Australia, Egypt and Morocco will be announced soon. The Dubai Exhibition Centre, which is just next to Expo 2020 Metro Station, will continue to host local and global events.
Later this year, the Opportunity Pavilion will become the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum — a new addition highlighting the history and impact of World Expos and celebrating the success of Expo 2020 Dubai.
Expo City Dubai is also the perfect place for health buffs and those who enjoy the outdoors. It has 10km-long cycling track, a 5km running track and 45,000 square metres of parks and gardens — all open for free to the public.
How to get there
Expo City Dubai is accessible by Dubai Metro, car and taxi. Parking, including dedicated parking for people of determination, is available at Al Forsan, Jubilee, Mobility and Sustainability districts.
