Watch as astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Ambassador of the France Pavilion is projected on Al Wasl's dome, joining Expo live from the International Space Station (ISS) in celebration of France National Day.

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France National Day ISS Call

Join us in celebrating France National Day at Expo 2020.

France

Centuries ago, Paris earned the nickname “City of Light” for its early adoption of street lighting, which lit the way for great leaps in human development. With the France Pavilion, the nation brings this same concept to Expo 2020 in quintessentially French style, offering a collection of luminous spaces that explore how light enables human progress.
From the illuminated surfaces on the pavilion’s exterior to the glowing dreamscapes and lighthouse within, you’ll bask in an array of radiant exhibits, with a special emphasis on French mobility. Best of all, the photovoltaic tiles on the pavilion’s outer façade mean it’s all powered sustainably.

At first glance, the France Pavilion simply looks like a linked complex of grey, squared structures - a massive upside-down “L” shape hanging in space over a central plaza. And then, the lights blaze on: more than 2,000 square metres of illuminated surfaces cover almost the entire façade of the pavilion, from ceilings to walls.

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France Pavilion

France National Day

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France Logo

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France Pavilion Web Image m3737

France: Space Station Call

As the number of missions to Mars increases, so does a new flow of scientific information and discovery that directly contributes to our understanding of the Earth’s trajectory. On 9th February 2021, the UAE made history when its “Hope” spacecraft, the Arab world’s first mission to another planet, successfully entered Mars’ orbit to begin a two-year data-collecting operation. Nine days later NASA’s “Perseverance” rover gently touched down in the Jezero Crater of Mars, the ninth spacecraft to successfully land on the Red Planet. In a year of great global challenges here on Earth, Hope and Perseverance are symbols of the importance of international collaboration, and a perspective that goes beyond national boundaries and interests. This exciting possibility of finding life elsewhere is prompting more countries and other players to participate in efforts to put humans on Mars. 


What the exploration of Mars suggests for the future of our species.

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Mars for the future of our species on another planet and what it can teach us about climate change.

Session programme - Hope and Perseverance

Learnings and insights from the World Majlis conversations on Space

Insight Report from Space Week

Hope and Perseverance - Documents 

Inside Expo: Sustainability I: The World’s Oldest Innovator

Inside Expo: Sustainability II: Harnessing the Sun

The Powerhouse Pavilions

Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion - Audio Guide

Terra

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Terra - Carousel

At Expo 2020, sustainability is an urgent, attainable reality, and Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion is the proof. Both immersive exhibition space and exemplar of environmental self-sufficiency, Terra is a pioneering piece of architecture that pushes the limits of renewable design.

The pavilion’s 130-metre-wide solar canopy – so vast that you could park 10 city buses head-to-tail atop it – converts sunshine into electricity for the exhibits below. Artfully funnelled natural light and local plant species, together with technologies that can reduce water consumption by 75 per cent, show the way to a sustainable future.


Inspiring experiential journey through our shared sustainable future

Two immersive paths to choose from: beneath a forest and beneath an ocean

LEED Platinum environmental features, including solar power and water recycling

Terra 

terra

Image Gallery

Videos

Terra is a super-sized marvel of forward-thinking design. The pavilion’s technology generates enough energy in a year to power a Nissan Leaf to drive halfway to Mars, while another system captures moisture from the air you breathe and turns it into drinkable water. Enter and take a fantastical journey through the wonders of nature, humanity’s challenges and the promise of our shared future. 


terra 

of harmonious living

A model

The Sustainability Pavilion

Terra is home to five thought-provoking art installations from artists around the world, with each piece demonstrating a response to the issue of sustainability.

Terra Art Installations

Young visitors can explore a fantastical world inspired by Terra's very own octopus, Octavia.

Octavia's Playground

Timelapse of Terra 

Randy Lycans Vice President at Jacobs attends Space Week World Majlis

Space Week World Majlis Lessons 2

Dr Dimitra Atri an Astrophysicist at the NYU Abu Dhabi

Inside Expo: The Next Great Frontier 

Space travel and exploration has captured imaginations for generations and the dream of space tourism is now closer to being a reality than ever. At the same time, with outer space remaining one of our few truly shared resources, peacefully managing this distant realm remains crucial. During this fascinating week, we highlight the latest innovations in space research and travel, while also providing a platform to discuss critical issues.

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How do we safely and productively explore new frontiers?

Space Week

Space Theme Week Video

Saeed Al Gergawi is the Director of the Dubai Future Academy, the capacity-building arm of the Dubai Future Foundation, which works in building and develop capacity in future foresight by empowering leaders with the skills necessary to adapt to the future. Prior to joining the Dubai Future Foundation, Saeed worked as the Program Manager for the “Mars 2117” initiative at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space 
Centre, the UAE’s 100-year space exploration strategy. In addition, Saeed was a member of the strategic planning team for the Emirates Mars Exploration Project “Probe of Hope”. 

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Saeed Al Gergawi

Randy oversees Jacobs support to NASA at Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Langley Research Center, and the White Sands Test Facility. Prior to this role, Randy served as the Program Manager for our MSFC engineering and science support for 14 years. As the MSFC PM, he was responsible for providing scientific, engineering, and technical support to MSFC’s Engineering Directorate, Science and Technology Office, Flight Programs and Partnerships Office, as well as future programs and projects. Randy was the Deputy General Manager and Director of the ESTS Group’s Engineering Directorate where he supported programs such as the Space Shuttle Return-to-Flight, the International Space Station, and the development of microgravity materials science experiments. 

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Vice President, Jacobs; General Manager, NASA Enterprise Solutions

Randy Lycans

Omran is Project Director of the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). He and his team are responsible for developing, launching, and operating the Hope Probe, the spacecraft of the mission. Omran has worked on the project from its initial conception and developed all the necessary capabilities and partnerships at MBRSC, effectively transitioning the organisation from one that focused on earth observation satellites to one that develops interplanetary exploration missions. Prior to EMM, Omran was Director of the Programs Management Department at MBRSC.
Omran earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia, USA, and his Master's in Science and Technology Policy from the Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea.

Omran Sharaf

Project Director, Emirates Mars Mission (Hope Probe), Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre

Dr. Michaela Musilova is an astrobiologist and the Director of the HI-SEAS analog space research station. Michaela studied and conducted research at the California Institute of Technology, University College London, University of Bristol, Chiba University, International Space University (ISU) and others. She worked for NASA, University of London Observatory, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and was the Commander of over 30 simulated missions to the Moon and Mars. She is also a visiting Professor at the Slovak University of Technology, Faculty at ISU and the Head of Research of the satellite technology company NEEDRONIX. 

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Astrobiologist and Director, HI-SEAS Missions at International Moonbase Alliance

Dr. Michaela Musilova

José A Rodríguez-Manfredi is a scientist in the Department of Advanced Instrumentation at INTA - Centro de Astrobiología in Madrid, Spain, of which he was head of department from 2010 to 2015. Since 2012 he has been the Principal Pnvestigator of the Space Instrumentation Research Group at CAB. Dr. Rodríguez Manfredi is the Principal Investigator of the TWINS (Temperature and Winds for InSight) space instruments on NASA's InSight mission (on Mars since November 2018), and MEDA (Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer) on NASA's Mars 2020 mission (on Mars since last February 18). He is also co-investigator and mission manager of the REMS (Rover Environmental Monitoring Station) instrument that has been exploring Mars aboard Curiosity since 2012. 

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Scientist, Department of Advanced Instrumentation, INTA - Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Spain 

José Antonio Rodriguez Manfredi 

Professor Martin-Torres is Chair of Planetary Sciences at the School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen in Scotland, UK. He is a NASA Award-winning theoretical physicist with interdisciplinary research interests and one of the most widely cited planetary researchers in the world. He has more than 20 years of experience working on space missions to study the atmosphere of Earth and other planets. He boasts an extensive international career that started as a Guest PhD at the University of Oxford, followed by securing a highly sought-after European Space Agency Postdoctoral Fellowship in Germany.  He then spent many years based in the USA, including seven years at NASA Langley Research Centre, Hampton and most recently at the Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, and the Spanish Research Council, Spain. 

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Chair of Planetary Sciences, University of Aberdeen in Scotland, UK

Professor Javier Martin-Torres

He is an astrophysicist interested in exoplanetary atmospheres, starplanet interactions, Mars, planetary habitability, and space weather. Before coming to NYUAD, he was a Research Scientist at Blue Marble Space Institute in Seattle (USA) and a Visiting Scientist at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai (India). He earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Kansas (USA). He is a lead author of numerous publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. He regularly serves on committees of NASA and the National Science Foundation (USA) and referees for major astrophysics, planetary science, and astrobiology journals.

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Lead, Mars Research Group, NYU Abu Dhabi’s Center for Space Science, UAE 

Dimitra Atri 

Mazlan obtained a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and became a lecturer at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1981. She became the founding Director General of the National Space Agency beginning July 2002. In this capacity she established the National Observatory in Langkawi and National Space Centre in Selangor. She headed the National Angkasawan (Astronaut) Programme which saw the launch of the first Malaysian to the International Space Station in 2007. She was responsible for the launch of Malaysia Remote Sensing Satellites :TiungSAT and RazakSAT. She attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. Resumed post as Director of UNOOSA in December 2007 upon retirement from Malaysian Civil Service. . She is co-chaired the ASM Malaysia Foresight 2050 initiative.

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Director of the International Science Council, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific


Dr. Mazlan Othman 

Dr. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan is the Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy & Technology at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi. Dr. Rajagopalan was the Technical Advisor to the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space. She was also a Non-Resident Indo-Pacific Fellow at the Perth US Asia Centre. As a senior Asia defence writer for The Diplomat, she writes a weekly column on Asian strategic issues. Dr. Rajagopalan joined ORF after a five-year stint at the National Security Council Secretariat, India, where she was an Assistant Director. Prior to joining the NSCS, she was Research Officer at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses. She was also a Professor at the Graduate Institute of International Politics, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan.

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Director, Centre for Security, Strategy & Technology, Observer Research Foundation, India 

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan

Shelli Brunswick

Chief Operating Officer, Space Foundation

World Majlis | Hope and Perseverance: Lessons Learnt from the Red Planet for Life on Earth 

World Expos have always been meeting places for people across cultures and geographies; an opportunity to come together and celebrate human ingenuity and forge meaningful human connections. As the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, and with the participation of more than 192 countries, Expo 2020 Dubai looks to take this legacy even further. The Build Bridges track of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Programme for People and Planet features a tapestry of event series and experiences that celebrate our common humanity and the vital connections that can help us prosper together as a worldwide community.

Knowing One Another Better

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Build Bridges 

Build Bridges Icon

Explore a series of exciting conversations inspired by the theme of Expo 2020 Dubai. The World Majlis is a vibrant forum where diverse points of views are shared on important topics of our time. Each conversation brings together globally recognised thought-leaders who are invited for their exceptional contributions to the theme and their unique perspective on the topic. In each Majlis, students and members of the public are also welcome to contribute and engage.

World Majlis

Conversations on complex issues that bring together thought leaders, visionaries and changemakers.

Gaze upward as Al Wasl Plaza's canvas transforms into a giant observatory then releases you on an epic adventure through the cosmic heavens above.

Cosmos

Architecture II: Al Wasl Plaza

EXHIBITOR Magazine's World Expo Awards

EXHIBITOR Magazine Announces World Expo Award Winners

Al Wasl Plaza

Al Wasl 

Al Wasl Plaza Images

Expo 2020 Dubai, the first Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region in the 170 years of World Expo history, opened with a celebration of global togetherness and optimism. Spectacular storytelling, performances, fireworks, and immersive projections on the dome of Al Wasl, the heart of Expo 2020, all told a story of collaboration and hope for the future, echoing Expo 2020 Dubai's theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future". Global artists joining in the celebration included Andrea Bocelli, Ellie Goulding, Lang Lang and Mohammed Abdu.

Description 

The first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, Expo 2020 opened with a celebration of global connection and hope for the future.

Expo 2020 Dubai Opening Ceremony

Long ago, travellers referred to Dubai as Al Wasl, or “the connection” – a name that reflects the area’s heritage as a meeting point. This spirit of coming together takes shape in Al Wasl Plaza, Expo 2020’s spectacular centrepiece and gathering ground for celebration and wonder. 

Situated at the meeting point of Expo’s three thematic districts, Al Wasl Plaza's dome is tall enough to fit the Leaning Tower of Pisa beneath it. By night, she transforms into a 360-degree projection screen, blanketed by more than 250 state-of-the-art projectors. Al Wasl Plaza is a hub for visitors and the vibrant heart of our Expo.

Daily performances, national day ceremonies and more

Immersive 360-degree domed projection screen

Lush garden spaces for relaxation and connection

Al Wasl features

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Al Wasl Plaza 360

Al Wasl Plaza is 130 metres in diameter and more than 67 metres tall. Delicate-looking despite its titanic scale, her pattern is inspired by our Expo's logo, which is fully visible at the oculus.

and magical

Extraordinary

The life force of the Expo 2020 site, Al Wasl Plaza proudly carries the old name of Dubai.

The beating heart of Expo 2020

A series of immersive 360° videos of Al Wasl's projection shows that put you centre stage for each stunning performance. 

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Participants

France National Day.