Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) — After eight years of planning and billions of dollars spent, the first World Exposition in the Middle East was held in Dubai on Friday. We hope that the spectacular events of the last few months will bring visitors and the world’s attention to the desert. -It became a dreamlike landscape.

The event, named Expo 2020, has been postponed for a year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus last year.It can affect the number of people gathering in the United Arab Emirates, but the six-month exhibition Dubai is a big opportunity As a place where everyone welcomes business, we will introduce the unique charm of East Meets West.

Not long ago, the venue for the 1,080 acre (438 hectares) exposition was a barren desert. In less than a decade, there are robots, new subway stations, multi-million dollar pavilions, so-called districts named “sustainability” and “opportunities”, built like much of the Gulf. It is a lively future landscape. By low-wage migrant workers.

The organizers say that 192 countries are participating in the exposition. The US Pavilion will showcase a replica of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Italian pavilion has a 3D replica of Michelangelo’s Bible hero, David, 17 feet (5.2 meters) high. Other attractions include an African food hall, royal Egyptian mummies, concerts and performances from around the world, and the option to enjoy a $ 500 three-course meal that includes glowing dishes in the dark.

Since the first splash in London in 1851, the World’s Fair has long been an opportunity for countries to meet, exchange ideas, introduce inventions, promote culture and build business relationships.

For over a century, these global exhibitions have captured the imagination and introduced some of humanity’s most important innovations. The first World Exposition in the United States in 1876 debuted Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, typewriter, mechanical calculator and Heinz Ketchup. Held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the trade fair attracted nearly 10 million people at a time when the total population of the United States was estimated to be only 40 million. One of its main buildings, the Memorial Hall, is now a museum.

At other trade fairs, inventions such as sewing machines, elevators, sodium carbonate, Ferris wheels, and televisions were exhibited in New York in 1939. People have traveled far in search of opportunities to get a glimpse of the world in ways that are otherwise inaccessible.

This year’s exposition is in the midst of a pandemic, with countless numbers still working and studying in remote areas, effectively connecting to the world. It is unclear how many visitors Dubai can attract and how much the exposition will stimulate its tourism-led economy.

To enter the Expo site, visitors must present a negative PCR test or proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

So what is this year’s World’s Fair after the 2021 pandemic?

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Dubai’s ruler and the force behind the transformation of the emirate, said Expo 2020 is an opportunity to showcase the best of human excellence. increase.

“It provides a platform for bringing together global efforts to build a more sustainable and prosperous future for humanity as a whole,” he told guests. Expo opening ceremony Thursday night.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the crown prince and de facto ruler of Abu Dhabi, the seat of power in the United Arab Emirates, used his speech to meet culture and forgiveness. He emphasized “the spirit of this land” as a place.

All countries, whether Iran or Israel, are welcome to the Dubai Expo.

The site attracts visitors with its eye-catching dome, which is sold as the world’s largest 360-degree projection screen. Its construction required 8.5 miles (13.6 kilometers) of steel.

The structure of some World’s Fairs remains a symbolic marker of human travel and the evolution of our industry. The Eiffel Tower, built in Paris, was not only the tallest building in the world at the time, but also served as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair. Millions of people are still fascinated by this wonder of wrought-iron grids, whose images are flooding today’s social media feeds.

The Space Needle, located in Seattle, Washington, was built for the 1962 World’s Fair and is another standout and fascinating building.

Most trade fairs have been held in Europe and the United States, but none have ever been held in the Middle East.

Follow Aya Batrawy on Twitter. http://twitter.com/ayaelb And Isabel DeBre https://twitter.com/IsabelDeBre