Dubai: The curtain came down on Expo 2020 Dubai last night, but the truly immersive journey it offered for the last six months, will linger for a long time to come. Particularly for those who spent their days and nights at the spectacular venue for most of the last 181 days, bringing us live coverage, in-depth reportage, news and views on an event the scale and magnitude of which was truly mind-boggling. The Gulf News team of Reporters who helped make Expo 2020 Dubai a quintessential part of our lives for these past six months, livening up our days right from the morning cup of tea to the dinner-table talk, share their feelings as Expo 2020 Dubai bid a fond goodbye to the world.
While for one of them, the event showcased the “spirit of Dubai in a microcosm”, for another, it symbolised that the world was “ready to move on” — post-pandemic. While one of the Reporters said that she would be missing what was “home” to her for the last six months, one of her colleagues explained how that “corner desk on the third level of Expo Media Centre” meant the world to him. And according to yet another Reporter, Expo 2020 Dubai provided her with a career growth opportunity like no other. Come, let’s have a closer look at what the Reporters at Gulf News have to say about their experiences covering the world’s greatest show.
‘Expo was a place where the rainbow spirit of Dubai was on full display’
— Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Chief Reporter
A great poet had once said, “Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
As I stand atop a majestic flyover leading to the Dubai Expo 2020 venue on the last night of the show, and watch the glittering lights and fireworks amid a medley of melodies, there is a sense of pride and satisfaction mixed with sadness. It’s amazing what this city was able to achieve in a matter of few months. Defying the sinister shadows of a pandemic and creating such an impossible feat where thousands of people from different cultures, nations, races, genders and ages converged and received the wonderful gift of hope, joy and an abiding love for life itself.
That is why, for me, it seems impossible to bid farewell to Expo 2020. The event embodies the spirit of Dubai in a microcosm.
Long after the collective songs and stories of participants performing at the grand Al Wasl amphitheatre fall silent, their echoes will continue to reverberate through the fabric and ethos of Dubai.
At a time when the rest of the world was reeling under the pandemic, it is to the credit of the never-say-die spirit of UAE and Dubai, that it swept aside the naysayers and pessimists and against all odds created the most amazing tableau of life. Right from the grand opening ceremony of the event through every singe day of these six months, the rainbow spirit of Dubai was at its best display.
One place, a myriad nationalities and languages, art, culture and business — it was the most exhilarating round-the world-tour in six months. When people from overseas would ask me about Expo 2020, I would promptly tell them not to miss an opportunity of a lifetime by not witnessing history in the making.
Expo 2020 to me transcended it’s industrial marketplace persona. It actually embodied the celebration of the human spirit that has always risen, phoenix-like, in the face of adversity.
On the many occasions that I visited the venue to cover various events, and when I parked my car in any one of the well-laid out parkings to take a “People Mover” bust hat worked with clock work precision to reach the bustling venue, the defiant and jubilant human spirit would showcase itself.
A cultural kaleidoscope
It was a delight to watch thousands of eager volunteers energetically ushering in visitors, guiding, advising and assisting them.
Life pulsated from every nook and cranny as one walked through the shaded walkways. Music was one of the most powerful elements at the venue that transcended all barriers and drew people together in a warm, fuzzy cocoon of consciousness. Whether it was the brilliant Expo Anthem “This is our Time” celebrating the oneness of the human race or the Angolan duo playing the violin demonstrating the best of classical culture, music at the Expo was a veritable treat.
The installations at the pavilions were brilliant. Be it the origami inspired architecture of the Japan Pavilion, or the falcon wing design of the UAE Pavilion symbolising peace, the colour spinning wheels of the South Korean Pavilion, the largest LED interactive exterior of the Saudi Arabian Pavilion, the tableaus showcasing the rich heritage of an ancient country at the India Pavilion, or the innovative pavilions of Germany and Scandinavian countries...there was so much to see and soak in.
Food was another great unifier. Never have I experienced a more mouth-watering and aromatic display of food as I did at Expo 2020 Dubai. We could literally taste the world on our plates.
In conclusion, the sum of the Expo 2020 Dubai was definitely greater than all the parts put together.
‘I was in the midst of discussions on billion-dollar trade deals’
— John Benny, Business Reporter
Expo 2020 Dubai was a unique experience for me. In the last six months, I spoke with trade officials from multiple countries and found myself in the midst of discussions on billion-dollar trade deals. In my view, the Expo was a reset button for the global business community after the two-year pandemic, and I was fortunate to witness the forging of new alliances and the start of a new chapter for governments and companies. Be it the Space Week in October, which introduced global audiences to UAE’s space ambitions, or the two-day World Government Summit held over the last two days — each event brought to the table innovative ideas and most importantly, addressed today’s most pressing issues such as climate change and poverty.
I think it is impressive that an event of this scale and magnitude could be conducted as the world dealt with a deadly virus. While it showcased the determination of the organisers, the level of participation seen from global policymakers and business leaders showed that the world is now ready to move on.
‘Expo was my second home for the last six months’
— Anjana Kumar, Senior Reporter
Expo 2020 Dubai has been my second home for the last six months. Having spent three-four days a week at the Expo, I have built a mountain of memories and experiences. Jotting them all down in a short essay is a test of my skill indeed. My first visit to the Expo 2020 Dubai was on the day of its opening. My photographer colleague and I were assigned to do live reporting of the inauguration ceremony. We were at the entrance of the Mobility District. It had a massive entrance. It looked big and tall — all that Dubai denotes. But time would tell that there was so much more beauty that lay inside.
I was spell bound when I went in.
Like a child, I stood in awe staring at some pavilion structures. From reporting on various events and topics, to just lying beneath the Al Wasl dome to absorb the splendid visual display and listen to the therapeutic music, I was hooked.
With my hat, back pack and recyclable water bottle, I would set out on the weekends too and earned my second white passport also.
What did I learn, what did I like?
I liked everything about the Expo. From the way my journey would start till the end. Buses were constantly plying. There was barely a few minutes wait period for shuttle buses. Directions to reach the site and parking areas were clear and visible to commuters. The code of the parking was super helpful as it was easy to figure out where you needed to go at the end of the day spent at Expo.
The learning was immense. I even discovered new countries — like Micronesia, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, an African island nation close to the Equator
As for entertainment — there was no dearth of concerts and events and was especially thrilled to have covered the Coldplay concert.
On a parting note, I want to say Expo 2020 gave me a holiday I was itching to take. Every country pavilion took me to a destination I had been to before or desired to travel to in the future. The Holy See Pavilion for example reminded me of my holiday in Rome and visiting the Vatican. It also created a sentimental feeling of when I covered the Pope’s visit to the UAE.
From me, here is a big shout out to the ground staff — the cleaners, security and volunteers for their remarkable job.
As the Expo comes to an end, I am sad for sure.
But there are lasting memories in my head, on my social media and on my phone.
‘It was a great privilege to tell stories from the Expo desk’
— Angel Tesorero, Senior Reporter
Dubai: For the past six months, I have covered Expo 2020 Dubai with diligence and a keen eye for details. Deadlines were met accordingly, and I also had fun and learned a lot from the assignments given to me, as well as the events I covered, showcasing the best cultures from around the world.
The corner desk on the third level of Expo Media Centre — with a good view of the iconic Al Wasl Dome in front of me, and the equally impressive UAE Pavilion (shaped in the form of falcon wings) on my right — had been my working area. That’s where I sat, pondered and filed stories of people I met — from the Paraguayan polyglot who greeted Expo visitors in Spanish, Arabic, English, Guarani, French and Portuguese; to the jolly Expo volunteer who used his vest to collect 192 pavilion stamps, and the motivational speaker who talked about inclusion, equality and tolerance.
The desk — a white one, barely over a metre wide with fibreglass dividers — was just one of the hundreds of desks at the media centre. But it was there where I came to understand more about cultural diversity, international solidarity and creating a better world. These words found more meanings as I filed stories about the colourful culture of my kababayans (countrymen) who took centre stage telling the history of Filipinos dating back to 4,000 years. It was also on that desk that I shared the solemn commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day at Israel Pavilion and the sustainability goals of Malaysia and Singapore pavilions.
All the pavilions I visited were a visual treat and it was on that desk that I recreated the memories and shared my insights with Gulf News readers.
It has been a great privilege to tell Expo stories and it has been a great honour to witness the beauty of the world in one place.
‘My career has grown by leaps and bounds’
— Nivetha Dayanand, Web Editor
I graduated in the summer of 2020. I did not have much on-field experience; I was always at the desk. When I was asked to join the team of reporters covering Expo 2020, believe it or not, I wasn’t ready for a task of this magnitude. But today I can say thanks to the exposure that I got by covering Expo 2020, my career as a journalist has grown by leaps and bounds. I had the privilege of covering big business conferences like Global Business Forum and World Government Summit, alongside one-on-one interviews with ministers and other high-profile delegates. The scale of business activities at Expo 2020 was massive, with big conglomerates and their heads from around the world paying a visit to the world’s greatest show.
Over the past six months, I have learnt the importance of respecting diverse perspectives from different people. It makes the world a better place to live in.
‘Al Wasl Dome brought out the child in me’
— Sajila Saseendran, Senior Reporter
I am one of the lucky people to see the world’s greatest show, up-close and right from its making. During a media tour of the Expo 2020 Dubai construction site, I sat with other journalists on an RTA bus, which eventually became an Expo Rider. Our guide that day in early January 2020 narrated details of the three districts and the numerous pavilions that had risen on the desert land. Adding to our delight, the Syrian-Armenian guide also sang ‘Feeling Good — It’s a new dawn ... a new day ... a new life for me’, heralding what was in store for thousands of volunteers who played a major role in making the Expo a big success.
Mesmerising concerts and shows
We were armed with construction safety gears when we were taken to see the Al Wasl Plaza, just a couple of metres away from the dome since there were men still at work inside, which had just been fitted with 252 transluscent projectors that formed the world’s largest immersive 360-degree projection surface. At that moment, I couldn’t visualise how this massive dome would become the heart of Expo, with incredible projections, mesmerising concerts and shows and official events, that too amidst an unforeseen pandemic. And the same dome brought out the child in me when I visited it with my family on the eve of Christmas. I danced with my daughter and my niece when the special snowflakes fell on us during the magical Christmas-themed show. And the same dome brought out the patriotic spirit in me when it was wrapped in my country’s tricolour when Expo 2020 Dubai concluded its National Day ceremonies with a celebration of India.
Great strides by the UAE
I covered the India Pavilion’s activities from Day 1 and witnessed how Expo brought the UAE and India even closer. I got the chance to write about various world leaders’ visits to Expo and also covered the World Government Summit. I wrote about the UAE’s great strides in ensuring gender balance and women power in government. In February, I met and interviewed New York Senator Kevin Thomas whose Dubai childhood story was my exclusive in March 2019. Last week, I also wrote about the top fans who toured the Expo pavilions multiple times. As the Expo bids goodbye to us, I am sad that I could not visit all the pavilions. But, I am happy for all the amazing memories from various pavilions and other attractions that I managed to tour as a visitor and I thank Expo for being my COVID-19 stressbuster — once again proving the resilience and never-say-die spirit of Dubai and the UAE.