Dubai’s Expo 2020 signals hope for an end to Covid-19

[객원 에디터 3기/ 한동민 기자] Dubai’s Expo 2020 – though delayed to 2021 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic – marked one of the largest in-person gatherings since countries locked down across the globe in order to reduce infection rates. Presenting 200 pavilions that exhibit cutting-edge technologies and visions of countries and multinational companies around the world, Expo has captivated the eyes and minds of over 16 million domestic and international visitors alike. 

The exhibition began against a backdrop of rising global Covid-19 cases. Despite this, the UAE – through its high testing and vaccination rates – has been able to receive visitors from across the globe without compromising the safety of its residents. In fact, new policies such as the reversed outdoor mask mandate, return to normal schooling schedules, and offering of booster shots continue to signal the government’s efforts to return to a pre-pandemic normal. 

With the 6-month global event coming to an end on March 31st, organizers have planned fireworks and a concert by Christina Aguilera and Yo-Yo Ma that will be streamed on more than 20 giant screens across the venue. But perhaps more important to Expo’s legacy is its signal of hope for a global end to Covid-19. 

As visitors pace through cultural exhibits, feast on cultural delicacies, interact with native pavilion staff, and jam to the beat at outdoor concerts, it almost seems as if Covid-19 has become a thing of the past. And perhaps – we shall hope – this will soon be true. 

Sources: Khaleej Times, The National News, The Lancet