The European Union to promote international cooperation and mutual understanding at Expo 2020 Dubai

The European Union will participate in Expo 2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates under the theme: “Connecting minds, creating the future”. The EU will engage through a set of high-quality events and activities to showcase European contribution to tackling global challenges in line with the core themes of Expo 2020 Dubai: sustainability, opportunity and mobility. 

Over 40 events and activities will be promoted by EU institutions together with our Member States, focusing on five thematic areas: Sustainability, Green Deal and Climate change; Food, Farming and Health; Innovation and Digitalisation; Inclusivity and Equality focusing on women empowerment; and Business and Trade cooperation. 

Expo 2020 Dubai will be a significant opportunity to prepare for a more sustainable future by engaging with participants from around the world, in one of the first major global events to be held physically since the breakout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As noted by the High Representative/Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell: “In times of great challenges, our societies need to come together, not only to overcome them but also to grow stronger and cooperate better. Expo 2020 Dubai is a very visible opportunity to underline the EU’s commitment to international cooperation and multilateralism as a response to global challenges and to build common understanding on how to do deal with those challenges.” 

The activities promoted by the EU also feature prominently in our bilateral engagement with the United Arab Emirates, as the host country of Expo 2020 Dubai. 

“The EU is committed to supporting UAE’s domestic transformation and economic diversification efforts, in line with our bilateral Cooperation Arrangement. I am looking forward to discussing in detail these pertinent issues with our Emirati partners during my visit to the UAE later this week,” stated High Representative Borrell.

In addition, the “EU Honour Day” on 23 October will be the occasion to celebrate the EU’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai along with the Member States, through cultural activities with young artists and cultural professionals from Europe and the rest of the world, to foster diversity and intercultural dialogue.A dedicated website in English and Arabic (https://europa.eu/expo2020) will promote the EU’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as a web application allowing people around the world to know more about the EU and its 27 Member States. On social media, the EU’s presence can be followed through the hashtag #EUatEXPO and via the Twitter account of the EU Delegation to the UAE @EUintheUAE.