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.

Description

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.

of light

Pavilion 

France Pavilion

France National Day

stamp France

Image gallery

France Logo

Image gallery 

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.

AdobeStock 403092851

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

stamp Terra

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.

Untitled design-5

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”. 

space 1

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. 

RWL Headshot

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. 

michaela musilova

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. 

space 2

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. 

space 3

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.

space 4

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.

space 5

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.

space 6

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

Build Bridges image

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

Al Wasl Logo-01

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. 

Al Wasl Plaza 360° Immersive Experiences

The Beating Heart of Expo 2020

Cosmos Projection Show at Al Wasl m4764

Cosmos Projection Show at Al Wasl m4763

Cosmos Projection Show at Al Wasl m4762

Cosmos Projection Show at Al Wasl m4761

Cosmos: Al Wasl Plaza (Oct 27th)

Space travel and exploration has captured imaginations for generations, and on the back of exponential technological advancement, 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 and equitably managing this distant realm requires concerted international cooperation among space-faring nations. 
As the Space sector evolves, both public and private actors must take collective action to transition and contribute towards the long-term sustainability of the Space environment as well as contribute to sustainability here on Earth.   
This event will focus on sustainable space exploration, the role of women in the space economy, and the link between space exploration and sustainability here on Earth. It will also highlight the solutions that Expo 2020 Dubai has integrated into the Expo site, or funded through Expo live, that rely on innovations that were derived from space exploration, such as climate modelling, solar energy, water recycling, carbon ﬁbre as a building material, Internet of Things (IoT), GPS and others.

Space for a Better World.

AdobeStock 80974696

Convening experts and thought leaders around sustainable space exploration, the role of women in the space economy, and the link between space technologies and sustainability on Earth.

(LTOR)~1

Jeff Kersey Senior Sustainability Manager Expo 2020 Dubai PMC speaks during Protecting The Great Unknown Sustainability at Expo Web Image m5990

Maruška Strah Executive Director World Space Week speaks during Protecting The Great Unknown Sustainability at Expo Web Image m5991

Yousef Caires Senior Vice President Expo 2020 Dubai speaks during Protecting The Great Unknown Sustainability at Expo Web Image m5988

Yousuf Luiz Caires is the Senior Vice President of Expo Live, an innovation and partnership programme launched by Expo 2020 Dubai to fund, accelerate and promote creative solutions that improve lives while preserving our planet. Yousuf is a founding member and Managing Director of the Milele Zanzibar Foundation, an NGO working to accelerate progress in the areas of health, education and livelihood opportunities in Zanzibar, Tanzania. His career also includes previous leadership roles at Dubai Cares, Staples Inc, and the Gillette Company. Yousuf received his Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and Master’s degree on International Trade and Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University.

image

Senior Vice President, Expo Live, Expo 2020 Dubai


Yousuf Luiz Caires

Maruška Strah interest for space deepened during her work at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, where she gained significant insight in the work of both, public and private sector involved with the space industry. Her main area of interest is Space Traffic Management. Her enthusiasm and passion for space will lead her to bringing space closer to people, especially youth and women, working in space and STE(A)M. Maruška is pursuing a PhD in Legal Studies at the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna, where she is focusing her research on Space Traffic Management. Maruška is a member of the International Institute of Space Law, the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety and the European Center for Space Law. 

Executive Director, World Space Week Association, Slovenia

Maruška Strah 

In his 20-year sustainability career, Jeff has been involved in a range of exciting activities, beginning with a role promoting European environmental technology exports to South East Asia. He then moved into collaborative research, producing best practice guidance in sustainable design. For the past 14 years, he has worked at Jacobs, providing sustainability support to a vast array of projects, latterly in the Middle East. 
As Senior Sustainability Manager, Jeff helps implement Expo’s sustainability strategy. He has been particularly active in reviewing pavilion designs, and getting Expo certified to international sustainability standards such as LEED and CEEQUAL. He supports the implementation of Smart City monitoring processes across the site, and oversees the calculation of Expo’s carbon footprint.

Jeff

Senior Sustainability Manager, Expo 2020 Dubai 

Jeff Kersey

Abdulla Khoory works as a Senior Grant Manager at Expo Live, an innovation and impact grant program with a fund of $100 million dollars from the government of Dubai, to source and fund social innovation from around the world to showcase at Expo 2020 Dubai. Expo Live provides grant capital of $100,000 to social enterprises at proof of concept stage to further test, implement or scale their solutions in their respective communities. Abdulla earned a distinction in his Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs with a minor in Political Science from Northeastern University, Boston USA.

Senior Grant Manager, Expo Live, Expo 2020 Dubai

Abdulla Khoory

Hoor AlMaazmi is a space science researcher at the UAE Space Agency and a member of
the Emirates Mars Mission science team since 2017. She is interested in studying the
link between Mars water vapor rise during dust storms and hydrogen escape. She
graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a M.S. degree in Aerospace
Engineering Sciences in 2020 and from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.S.
degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Nuclear Engineering in 2016.

Space Science Researcher, UAE Space Agency

Hoor Abdelrahman AlMaazmi 

Luc Piguet is the CEO and co-Founder of ClearSpace, a ground-breaking initiative to clear up Space debris. In 2019, the European Space Agency selected Luc and his team at ClearSpace to lead a European consortium that will develop technologies to capture and deorbit space debris. Already, the aim of the initial CleanSpace-1 initiative was to develop technologies to capture and deorbit obsolete space objects such as out-of-use satellites, rocket stages, parts of solar panels, that had been put into orbit over the past 60 years and that are now filling up the space immediately above the Earth. These objects orbit our planet at a speed of 28,000 kmph, making them dangerous projectiles for working satellites and astronauts at the international space station. 


Luc+Piguet+Headshot

Luc Piguet

As Executive Manager at EPFL Space Center, ESpace is an interdisciplinary unit responsible for the federation of space activities at the school, which hosts a research initiative on sustainable space 
logistics and the Space Sustainability Rating. Emmanuelle has 10 years’ experience in space transportation in academia, agency and industry from pre-development projects up to launch operations. She holds Space Engineering degrees both from the University of Technology of Compiegne, France, and the Technical 
University of Braunschweig, Germany. She has completed in 2021 a certificate of advanced studies at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zürich in Technology and Public Policy : Policy Process. 

Executive manager, EPFL Space Center(eSpace), Swiss Institute of Technlogy, Switzerland 

Emmanuelle David 

Sustainability @ Expo: Protecting the Great Unknown

Expo aims to deliver one of the most sustainable World Expos in history, supporting the UAE in its journey towards a green economy. Sustainability is integrated across both our operations and programming, embracing every opportunity to create meaningful impact, and inspiring the global community to play an active role in becoming part of a sustainable future.

The Live in Balance track of Expo 2020 Dubai's Programme for People and Planet features a tapestry of event series and experiences that spotlight our relationship with the natural world, and position Expo as a critical catalyst for restoring balance with our planet.

Description

Participants

France National Day.