JAKARTA, 28 September 2021 – With less than a week to go for Expo 2020 Dubai, excitement is building up as ASEAN is ready to unveil its pavilion to the world. The ASEAN Pavilion will feature activities and programmes where visitors can immerse themselves in the region’s unique cultural experiences.
“As the world is focused on economic and social recovery, Expo 2020 presents an incredible and timely opportunity for nations to build on existing relationships and inspire further collaboration with partners from around the world,’’ said Lee Yoong Yoong, Director for Community Affairs of ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Commissioner-General at Expo 2020.
“The ASEAN Pavilion will showcase stories about ASEAN’s success and how ASEAN cooperation benefits its citizens and the world beyond. Further, it also consists of promotional space to highlight ASEAN arts, culture and identity to global audiences,’’ he added.
Starting from 1 October to 31 March 2022, visitors of the ASEAN Pavilion will interact in a number of activities, which includes exploring the ASEAN Trail, where attendees will be given a passport and a quest to explore the ASEAN Member States’ pavilions. In collaboration with AirAsia, the ASEAN Trail gives visitors the opportunity to ‘’travel’’ Southeast Asia as the region is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rudy Khaw, Chief Brand Officer for airasia Group said, “The airasia Group is proud to be ASEAN’s airline and to work alongside the ASEAN Secretariat to represent the region at Expo 2020. We have grown from just an airline into a fully digital travel and lifestyle platform offering the airasia Super App users a seamless and holistic experience. From connecting people across the region via flights, we are also now enabling the connectivity of goods across the region and contributing towards the economic recovery of the region via e-commerce and more.”
Other programmes present at the pavilion include the ASEAN Artist Residency Programme, supported by the Maybank Foundation and Sharjah Art Foundation. Two young ASEAN artists will take up residency in the UAE and create artworks that will be displayed at the pavilion.
On 13 December, the ASEAN pavilion will host ASEAN’s National Day and take over the Expo site to deliver a celebration of the region’s culture and creativity, with a day filled with dance, music and performances. This will include an immersive projection on the Al Wasl Dome, a procession and a flag raising ceremony.
The World Expo is a global gathering of nations, dedicated to finding solutions to the pressing challenges of our time by offering a journey inside a universal theme. This year’s theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” aims to build partnerships and inspire ideas that will forge the world of tomorrow through three sub-themes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.
