Postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak between October 2021 and March 2022, the first world fair was held in the Middle East was the EXPO 2020 in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. ATLAS Middle East took this opportunity to showcase this extravaganza mega-event by organizing a webinar titled “EXPO 2020: Local and International Perspectives and Impact”. On Thursday, 17 March 2022, the webinar, moderated by Dr. Tara Duncan and Filareti Kotsi provided the opportunity to gain insights into this mega-event from various international presenters.
Latifa Mubarak Alali and Latifa Abdulla Albedwawi, graduate students in Tourism and Cultural Communication from the College of Communication and Media Sciences at Zayed University, prepared a behind-the-scenes look at the Expo. They collaborated with the UAE Pavilion, and in a ten-minute video, they presented their four-month senior project journey, showcasing Emirati traditions and heritage. Dr. William McCarthy, an Assistant Professor of Communication and Media at Zayed University, presented his research analyzing dimensions of time at all 192 pavilions giving insight into some of the tourism geographies inherent in such a large-scale event. Dora Farmaki, the Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Hellenic Diaspora & Public Diplomacy, Greece, explored the ways a particular event, entitled “A universal narrative of light – from Apollo’s birthplace, Delos, to a brighter future,” expanded the boundaries of a national narrative using the myths and timeless symbolism of Delos and Expo 2020’s multicultural canvas. Dr. Greg Richards, the invited keynote, provided an international perspective with his presentation “Eventful cities: Events that shape cities, and cities that shape events,” examining the experience of several cities around the world and analyzing their event activity in terms of spatial development, information flows and platform creation.
The ATLAS Middle East chapter was rejuvenated through this webinar and anticipated an innovative and exciting start to 2022 and beyond. For 2023, ATLAS Middle East is preparing a research day on “After EXPO 2020: The transition into a new urban district”. What happens to eventful cities after the event? Will District 2020, a model global community for the future, leave a lasting legacy for Dubai? More details about this event will be published in due course.
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