The U.S. Department of State’s Expo Unit, in partnership with the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and local partners in New York, Houston, Detroit, San Francisco, and Palo Alto completed a series of information sessions to raise awareness with financial, commercial, arts, higher education, and philanthropic communities about the opportunities for participating in or supporting the U.S. Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
At these sessions, Expo Unit Director Jim Core, and Expo 2020 Project Manager Matthew Asada, discussed the Expo Unit‘s establishment, the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the U.S. Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, and the process for U.S. cities and states to host future Expos.
Mr. Core commented, “For the Department’s first-ever Expo roadshow we wanted to engage with the commercial and cultural communities inside and outside of Washington to help identify the best of American commerce and culture and reach people – and potential bidders – that may not have heard of or focused on Expo 2020 Dubai up until now.”
The events brought together architects and designers, event and exhibition firms, mobility and technology companies, cultural organizations and community groups, and citizens and diaspora communities to learn more about Expo 2020 Dubai. The sessions were particularly designed to encourage private sector partners to bid on the project to serve as the fundraiser, project manager, and operator of the U.S. pavilion.
Mr. Asada emphasized the importance of highlighting American creativity, ingenuity, and diversity in the pavilion’s architecture and design, exhibit content, and cultural programming for the seven million people that are projected to enter and the 25 million people that will see the U.S. pavilion during the six-month fair.
U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright highlighted the ever-growing bilateral relationship between the two countries as well as the significance of Expo 2020 and the U.A.E.’s golden jubilee.
Mr. Sebright said, “The U.S. Pavilion is a chance for American companies to showcase innovation and their best-in-class products and services on one of the biggest stages in the world. This is the first-ever world expo to be held in the MENA region, and it will take advantage of Dubai’s location as a hub to engage over 25 million global visitors. As such, its political, cultural, and economic impact will reverberate well beyond the U.A.E.”
The Expo Unit will host one final virtual info session on Wednesday, April 4th at 2:00 pm EST to recap the roadshow, highlight some of the Frequently Asked Questions, and answer any pending queries before bids are due on April 17th. To register for the final virtual session please click here.
Please click here to view the Expo Unit’s presentation.
Please click here to view the February 28th virtual session.
