Tuesday, October 20 at Expo Milano 2015 is the National Day of the...

Tuesday, October 20 at Expo Milano 2015 is the National Day of the United Arab Emirates. Awaiting Expo 2020 Dubai

On Tuesday October 20, Expo Milano 2015 will host the National Day of the United Arab Emirates, with a Parade in costume leading to the country’s pavilion, which will be disassembled after October 31 and reassembled in the futuristic smart city of Masdar.

The day’s program

The ceremony will take place at 10:30 at the Expo Centre. After the raising of the flag and the official speeches, the delegation will take part in the costume parade to the pavilion, designed by British starchitect Norman Foster. This architectural masterpiece is only a taste of the marvels that the country plans to show in the next Universal Exposition, Expo 2020 Dubai, scheduledto be held in Dubai in 2020 with the theme Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. The pavilion contains several other previews: the exposition site is under construction in a location halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, to make it easier to reach by air. The theme will touch on three main subjects: sustainability, opportunity and mobility.

Visit to the United Arab Emirates Pavilion: a stroll through the sand dunes of the desert

The Pavilion of the United Arab Emirates stands out for its structure, which recalls the sand dunes of the desert. These were photographed and reproduced in the tiniest detail in a resin material capable of maintaining a cool environment. And the flooring of the ramp which takes visitors up to the auditorium is slightly wavy, giving them the impression that they are crossing the desert gorges of the Emirates. But the Pavilion of the United Arab Emirates is not only designed to amaze people for its appearance: for the country, the Theme of Expo Milano 2015 is indeed fundamental, as 85% of its food is imported and the scarsity of water resources is a constant challenge. The heart of the Pavilion is the 10-minute video “Family tree” (or Date Palm tree) shown on the embracing walls inside the Auditorium. In a magical and almost dreamlike journey, a little girl called Sara is transported back to the past, where she discovers the methods used by the previous generations to locate water and the importance of the date palm in ensuring the survival of the desert.

Discover the profile of the United Arab Emirates at Expo Milano 2015

A desert country, with large cities

Located in the south west of Asia, bathed by the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf and nestled between Oman and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates compose a territory that is almost entirely composed of desert. For this reason, the majority of the population lives along the coastline, which is 1,318 km long and in particular along the Persian Gulf, where the largest cities in the country are located and the main economic activities are based. Only in the eastern end are there any mountain ranges, such as the Al Hajar Mountains, backing along the border with Oman. The capital Abu Dhabi is located in the center of the largest emirate, spanning 87% of the total surface area, and it also has the highest number of inhabitants, with 38% of the population. The desert area of Abu Dhabi includes two important oases with a sufficient quantity of underground water to supply the permanent settlements and the agriculture in the area.