Dubai: Luxembourg officially opened its 2,100-square-metre pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai’s Opportunity District to over 3,000 visitors on Friday. Maggy Nagel, Commissioner General of the Luxembourg Pavilion, told Gulf News of the “amazing” ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place on the first day of the six-month fair, as children and adults alike excitedly slid down the pavilion’s very own slide behind her. Luxembourg is the only one on grounds to have this.
“We come to the earth from the stars… to nature, where you will see how green Luxembourg is,” Nagel said of the fun element. Surrounded by larger-than-life tree props and pointillism art depicting the Mullerthal forests, the seven-metre-high slide marks the beginning of the end of the visitor journey.
The pavilion is a never-ending loop thanks to its Mobius-band-inspired design, which communicates its theme of ‘Resourceful Luxembourg’. Visitors will find the continuous band of white steel underneath their feet, over their heads and around them throughout their five-part trip here. The European country’s spirit for reinvention melts into the architecture at the world fair.
“We are very proud to have been the first country to sign the [Expo] contract,” said Nagel, adding that Luxembourg will stay on for District 2020, the legacy project to come to life post Expo 2020.
Your hike up the elevated ramp will take you through the first zone, ‘Diverse’, where screens to your left feature greetings from Luxembourg's citizens – the country boasts over 170 nationalities. Inside the ‘Enterprising’ zone, a seven-minute-long film shows the best of Luxembourg, including its very close involvement in the construction of the world’s tallest tower Burj Khalifa.
Coming back down is a whole lot of fun, especially when the pavilion’s open-kitchen restaurant, ‘Schengen Lounge’, is there to receive you. Taste the delicacies created by Michelin-star chef KimKevin De Dood here, from fresh trout to sweet pastries.
