expo 2020 dubai

Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Instagram.com
Expo 2020 Dubai comes to an end on March 31, with a closing ceremony that promises to be remembered for years to come. Similar to the opening ceremony, the grand finale will be held at the main site of the Expo, Al Wasl Plaza.
To be displayed across more than 20 big screens all over Expo 2020 Dubai, including the Jubilee Stage and Festival Garden for all visitors to be able to join the iconic experience, the closing ceremony will feature global artists Christina Aguilera, Yo-Yo Ma, and Norah Jones. Even the young Dubai-born girl from the opening ceremony will make a re-appearance at the event. “See global music icons, enjoy dazzling fireworks, and exciting performances unfold beneath the stunning Al Wasl Dome,” says the Expo 2020 Dubai Instagram account.

Kickstarting the ceremony will be the National Anthem of the UAE performed by forty members of a UAE-based children’s choir accompanied by the all-women Firdaus Orchestra and conducted by Yasmina Sabbah. The main ceremony will then begin at 7pm with Mira Singh, who will take the audience through the past six months of Expo 2020 Dubai. In the opening ceremony, the Indian-Belarusian star played a girl who is handed a golden ring, the central motif of Expo 2020, inspiring its logo as well. Her story will be wrapped up in the closing ceremony as she looks back at the growth and initiatives of an eventful six months. “For 182 days, she has grown, learned and connected with people from around the world — what remains is the final step before she awakens to her full potential,” mentioned Expo event organizers.
Photo: Instagram.com/expo2020dubai
Adding to the list of exciting performances is Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who will play at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheater at for 8.45pm. Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and pianist Norah jones will also perform at 9pm on the Jubilee Stage, followed by iconic pop star Christina Aguilera, who will take over at 10.45pm.
Before coming to a final close, Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai, will hand the BIE flag to Ambassador Jai-chul Choi to be presented at Expo 2025 Osaka. After a night full of celebration and looking into the future with Expo, the evening will end with a flourish of fireworks at midnight, and again at 3am.
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Photo: Courtesy of Tima Abid
The booming presence of Saudi Arabia‘s fashion industry will be celebrated at the world’s biggest fair very soon. On February 16, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, in collaboration with The Saudi Fashion Commission, will host a fashion show featuring three designers, each presenting a selection of 10 pieces from their latest collections.
Arwa Al Banawi is one of them, who after launching her eponymous label in 2015, became renowned for her edgy designs catering to the modern woman. Combining traditional tailoring with contemporary styles, the Dubai-based brand’s offering ranges from statement pieces to wardrobe staples favored by both, the cool kids and working women. Al Banawi’s Saudi pride also shines through her work, which often features traditional patterns and various slogans and words in Arabic. In 2017, her skillful blend of Arab and western influences lead her to collaborate with Adidas, which enlisted her once again in 2021 to reinterpret its classic Forum Lo shoe unveiled at Al Ula.
Photo: Courtesy of Arwa Al Banawi
Al Banawi will be joined by Tima Abid, the Saudi couturier who made her Paris fashion week debut in 2020, 16 years after establishing her namesake brand. Since then, the designer has gone on to dress a number of stars including Assala and Oumaima Taleb, and was even tapped by Balqees Fathi to create her wedding gown in 2016. After her first fashion show in Paris, which was attended by members of the Al Saud royal family, Abid shared, “I want to be the Chanel of Saudi Arabia. I want to show that the Saudi woman can do it. When any woman wears Tima Abid, I want her to feel strong, elegant, and delicate.” This reflects in her designs which not only feature figure-hugging silhouettes and sheer panels but are also imbued with fearlessness and confidence. Ready-to-wear label Abadia will also be presenting its designs at the show. The label is known for using artisanal techniques for its pieces which feature embroidery and beading, and aim to connect traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics.
Photo: Courtesy of Tima Abid
The event is the Expo 2020 Dubai’s first fashion show dedicated to highlighting Arab designers. Previously, the British Fashion Council in collaboration with HSBC Middle East and Chalhoub Group also hosted an exclusive show for Preen by Thornton Bregazzi at the UK Pavilion.
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Rami Al Ali and Carmelo Zappulla. Photo: Courtesy of Rami Al Ali
Traditional UAE crafts intertwined with 3D printing technology are what to expect when Syrian fashion designer Rami Al Ali joins hands with Barcelona-based architect Carmelo Zappulla. The two have come together for Expo 2020 Dubai’s Design and Crafts Programme Menasa, an Emirati Design Platform to tell a story through an exclusive window installation at the event.
Photo: Courtesy of Rami Al Ali
Mainly inspired by nature and Emirati heritage, the installation portrays the evolution of traditional crafts in a modern way. The Dubai-based designer worked with four main materials adapted locally by Emirati culture and the city’s contemporary design scene. This includes Talli, intricate patches of embroidery made of different colors and geometric patterns, Al Sadu, a traditional form of weaving, fishing nets made from cotton, palm fronds, which were used for weaving, and branches and flowers to reflect Al Ali’s couture line.
The window at Menasa. Photo: Courtesy of Rami Al Ali
All of these materials were hand-embroidered, experimented with different textures, colors, and malleability, After 375 hours of creation, and 1520 meters of materials, the designer was able to add depth and color to the contemporary model that Zappulla assembled. The designer is also offering hand-crafted limited edition commemorative boxes, made from white wood and maranti, in three designs in shades of gold, bronze, and beige. The boxes will be available to purchase at the Menasa Boutique located at the Rove Hotel.
Limited edition boxes. Photo: Courtesy of Rami Al Ali
Zappulla relied on the technology of 3D printing, to create an installation that is not only visually pleasing but also tells the story of a future that is nature-centric. He is the executive director and founder of the international studio for External Reference, an award-winning studio that focuses on architecture, interior design, exhibition design, and urban design. This project is among several others he has worked on an international scale, including the exhibition design of the Spanish pavilion in the 2012 Yeosu Expo in South Korea.
The window installation and limited edition boxes will be on exhibit for the duration of Expo 2020, from October 2021 to March 2022.
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