By Shaneer N. Siddiqui
Dubai, Jun 21 (IANS): Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has announced the opening of Expo City Dubai in October.
The new city is an ideal smart and futuristic destination for business and innovation, driven by sustainability, innovation, education, and entertainment.
A human-centric city, accessible only by pedestrians with no cars or heavy vehicles, it will carry forward the sustainability legacy of Expo 2020. It will also would be environment-friendly and car-free with buggies to be used to transport residents and visitors.
Mohammed bin Rashid, who is also the ruler of Dubai and UAE Vice President, said,: "After the historical success of Expo 2020 Dubai, which was visited by more than 24 million visitors, and which left an indelible mark in the 170-year history of World Expositions, today we announce the transformation of the exhibition site into Expo City Dubai, a city that represents the most beautiful ambitions of Dubai.
"Expo City Dubai will be an environmentally-friendly city, one friendly to families, the economy, and to future generations. A city connected to a port and two airports, and also to beautiful memories in the hearts and minds of millions of people. A city in which the magic of Expo will live on: Al Wasl will continue to shine, the waterfall will continue to delight, and the UAE, Alif and Terra pavilions will continue to fascinate visitors of all ages.
"This new city will be home to an extraordinary new museum, a world-class exhibition centre, and the headquarters of cutting edge and fast-growing companies. It will continue to host the pavilions of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, and others. It will be a city that embodies the dreams of every city, and one which continues to bring joy to our children, our families, and all those we love."
Expo City Dubai, the legacy plan of Expo 2020 Dubai and part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, builds on the momentum and resounding success of the six-month World Expo to create an environmentally-friendly, tech-enabled city of the future.
Addressing the media, Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery Officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, said Expo City would be fully pedestrianised, and cars would not be allowed as tenants can use soft mobility options.
"Expo Dubai is set to be a vibrant, human-centric smart city driven by sustainability innovation, education and entertainment. Built around the principles of sustainability and home to more than 120 LEED certified buildings, Expo City Dubai is designed as a blueprint for 'green' urban planning," he said.
Expo City Dubai will be free of single-use plastic and retain 80 per cent of infrastructure and buildings that have been constructed, including 123 LEED-certified buildings, epitomising the highest levels of sustainable design, construction and operations.
It will also be the first WELL-certified community in the region, demonstrating the built environment's positive impact on health and wellness.
In Expo City health is also prioritised with 10 km of cycling tracks, 5 km of running tracks and 45,000 sqm of parks and gardens.
Opening on October 1, it will feature a number of Expo 2020 Dubai's flagship pavilions, entertainment and technology offerings, while also carrying forward the event's magic, energy and excitement.
With an array of diverse attractions, the comprehensive city will feature offices, leisure facilities, food and entertainment venues, sports facilities and a mall. It will be reachable by the Dubai Metro and will also house the world-class Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), a sought-after venue that hosted a range of global summits, conferences and concerts during Expo 2020 Dubai, DEC will continue to host a range of conferences, events and activations.
Three of Expo 2020's most visited attractions, the iconic Al Wasl Plaza, the Garden in the Sky observation tower and the Surreal water feature, will remain. While Alif, the Mobility Pavilion and Terra, the Sustainability Pavilion, will live on as interactive educational experiences.
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 the six-month event.
Other attractions set to stay include the Woman's Pavilion, which features female change-makers across the world, and the Vision Pavilion, honouring the vision of Mohammed bin Rashid.
Visitors will also be able to explore the falcon-inspired UAE Pavilion and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion. Details of several other Country Pavilions, including reworked versions of Luxembourg, Australia, India, Pakistan, Morocco and Egypt will be announced in the coming months.
Offering a wealth of opportunities for businesses that meet its sustainable targets, Expo City Dubai is already attracting interest from a large number of commercial tenants.
It will soon become the new headquarters of DP World, Siemens, as well as start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprises.