Dubai: More than 2,000 Expo site workers enjoyed an activity-packed morning of competition and entertainment on Wednesday, in appreciation of their hard work in making the vision of Expo 2020 a reality.
Organised by Expo 2020 and co-hosted by Dubai Police and Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the event included yoga, aerobics, cricket and basketball, a football match against Dubai Police and a tug-of-war tournament. The site workers enjoyed a skydiving display, 70-man motorcycle parade, a police dog demonstration and a performance by the Dubai Police Marching Band.
The event topped a week of health and safety training and was part of Expo 2020’s ‘Better Together’ Worker Welfare strategy. ‘Better Together’ underpins the core values of care, respect and pride, and aims to influence the wider operations of contractors to advance worker welfare standards throughout the industry for years to come.
As part of the strategy, workers also participated in a week of presentations, demonstrations and practical training at the Expo Training Centre on topics such as working at height, in the heat, and in situations that require heavy equipment.
“At Expo 2020 Dubai, we consider worker welfare as a critical component in delivering a sustainable Expo that contributes to a meaningful legacy for the region. Hosting a World Expo for the first time in the Arab World represents a unique opportunity for us to make a positive impact, collaborating with our stakeholders to shine the spotlight on the importance of worker welfare,” said Reem Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General, Expo 2020 Dubai.
In recognition of their ongoing efforts in successfully delivering the site of the largest event ever to be held in the Arab World, winners of the sports contests and other workers nominated by contractors were each presented with medals and gift vouchers. Every worker at the event received a complimentary phone card from Etisalat.
“Nurturing a culture of wellbeing and inclusivity is vital to achieving a shared goal of raising worker welfare standards across the broader construction industry. This involves sharing knowledge and making continuous improvements side by side with our delivery partners and contractors, but it also means celebrating our achievements together,” said Emma Seymour, Vice President — Worker Welfare, Expo 2020 Dubai.
