Celebrate Christmas Eve with the Holy See Pavilion and Expo 2020 by taking in an extra-special carol service with award-winning Lebanese singer Tania Kassis and the Festival Chorus, as well as some incredible guest performers. 

Christmas Celebration

Christmas eve

This Christmas Eve, celebrate with a special carol service with Tania Kassis, the Festival Chorus and some exciting guest performers. 

Christmas Evening Prayer Service for Humanity by The Holy See at Jubilee Stage m27183

Christmas Evening Prayer Service for Humanity by The Holy See at Jubilee Stage m27178

Christmas Evening Prayer Service for Humanity by The Holy See at Jubilee Stage m27180

Christmas Evening Prayer Service for Humanity by The Holy See at Jubilee Stage m27179

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Holy see 1

stamp Holy see

While it’s famously the world’s smallest sovereign state, the Holy See (or Vatican City) has a big impact on the world: seeking to build bridges of peace and cultural harmony that underpin the universal values of tolerance and coexistence. The Holy See Pavilion celebrates open communication between interreligious and diplomatic groups to break down walls that separate us. Discover a showcase of vividly illustrated illuminated manuscripts and, if you look up, a beautiful recreation of one of the Holy See’s most iconic treasures: Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam from the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling fresco inside St Peter’s Basilica.

Holy See

Discover a recreation of one of the Holy See's treasures: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel’s ceiling fresco.

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Holy See Pavilion

Holy See: Christmas Celebration

The magic of Christmas will come to life from 20th - 28th December at Expo 2020 Dubai. Blending traditional celebrations with a modern twist, visitors will experience a truly festive environment. Al Wasl Plaza will be turned into a magical Winter Wonderland space with stunning Christmas decorations and festive projections. Throughout the districts visitors can enjoy a number of festive surprises.


Description

Christmas Nostalgia

The magic of Christmas will come to life at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Christmas @ Expo

MENASA, an Emirati Design Platform presented by Expo 2020 Dubai, aims to spark a new appreciation for Emirati crafts as contemporary and living expressions of Emirati cultural identity. By merging artisanal skills with innovation and technology, MENASA aims to cultivate a creative dialogue between designers and artisans from the UAE and around the world. Craft Stories is a series of seven unique curated design collaborations telling stories of today's UAE through a selection of its crafts and traditions. Merging the skills and rich heritage of Emirati artisans together with contemporary creativity and innovation in techniques and materials, each story is a multi-layered journey that reflects many facets of the UAE, its landscape, people, traditions, values and identity. Technology and Crafts: Interpretation of Crafts Through Technology will introduce one of the main craft story collections showcased at MENASA, the TEN to ONE capsule collection by Iwan Maktabi, Edouard Cabay and House of Artisans: a bespoke rug collection made from a sustainable material that is painted by Robot through AI.

Technology and Crafts: Interpretation of Crafts Through Technology

Menasa

A panel discussion organised by the Emirati design platform MENASA, in which distinguished designers from around the world contribute to engaging dialogue around the craft stories showcased at MENASA.

Carmelo Zappulla (C), Founder and Executive Director External Reference, Edouard Cabay (R), Architect and Founder and Principal of Appareil and Salama Al Shamsi (L), Director of Qasr Al Hosn during the Technology and Crafts Interpretation o

Mohamed Maktabi (L2), Co-founder and CEO of Iwan Maktabi, Carmelo Zappulla (R2), Founder and Executive Director External Reference, Edouard Cabay (R1), Architect and Founder and Principal of Appareil and Salama Al Shamsi (R3), Director of Qa (1)

Mohamed Maktabi (L2), Co-founder and CEO of Iwan Maktabi, Carmelo Zappulla (R2), Founder and Executive Director External Reference, Edouard Cabay (R1), Architect and Founder and Principal of Appareil and Salama Al Shamsi (R3), Director of Qa

Mohamed Maktabi, Co-founder and CEO of Iwan Maktabi during the Technology and Crafts Interpretation of Crafts through Technology at 2020 Club by Emaar m41102

Salama Al Shamsi, Director of Qasr Al Hosn during the Technology and Crafts Interpretation of Crafts through Technology at 2020 Club by Emaar m41099

MENASA | Technology and Crafts: Interpretation of Crafts Through Technology

MENASA is an Emirati Design Platform curated by Samer Yamani, to celebrate Emirati artisanal work and to identify, curate, promote and present Emirati design and crafts through exclusive design collections and content.

In this event, an exciting line up of distinguished panelists in the field of design from around the world discuss unique perspectives of design storytelling, and how they have been able to break out of the expected and present the extraordinary.

The Power of Storytelling in Design

Objects and crafts on display at MENASA Emirati Design Platform Web Image m9541

MENASA’s third panel discussion, featuring distinguished panelists from around the world to discuss unique perspectives of design storytelling, and how they enable moving from the expected to the extraordinary.

MENASA – Emirati Design Platform - Audio Guide

MENASA 1

Menasa Image Gallery

MENASA - Emirati Design Platform offers visitors an overview of the UAE’s vibrant artisan culture. Its bespoke collections are created with top local and international designers and explore seven Emirati “Craft Stories”: safeefa, clay, talli, sadu, coffee making, Gargour making and pearl diving. Each story leads you through the processes involved in crafting the design collections. The programme’s space hosts design collections to stimulate and inspire. Many of the one-of-a-kind pieces on display are also available to take home, with each purchase helping to sustain the local design ecosystem.

Aiming to identify, curate, promote and present Emirati design and crafts through exclusive design collections and curated content, MENASA provides a unique opportunity to explore traditional Emirati crafts through contemporary design, innovative materials and advanced processes. The platform features exciting design collaborations between over 40 local and international designers from 11 countries.

8000 Waves Design

Crafts and Design

Exploring Emirati

MENASA – Emirati Design Platform

MENASA: The Power of Storytelling in Design

This show celebrates the beautiful arts and culture of the fascinating country of Vietnam. Enjoy a myriad of traditional arts and artisan products as well as Vietnamese traditional music performances in this unmissable show.

Arts Show

Vietnam Arts show

Welcome to a celebration of the beautiful arts and culture of Vietnam, showcasing traditional arts and artisan products as well as traditional music performances.


The Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre is a performance space hosting cultural performances and live music for seated crowds, located in Al Forsan Park. The venue’s design features a model of two Ghaf trees that intertwine above the centre of the stage. 

Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre

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Vietnam Arts Show at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre m68587

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stamp vietnam pavilion 2021 stamp chon

Vietnam Image Gallery

The fog-wreathed mountains and vibrant green rice paddies of Vietnam are places of deep tradition, housing ancient temples, centuries-old villages and a wealth of unique cultural history. The Vietnam Pavilion aims to reintroduce visitors to the nation’s rich heritage and highlight its investment potential. Explore traditional folk-art performances, bamboo flute concerts and delightful water-puppet shows, take a 3D digital tour of Vietnam’s vibrant tourism destinations and discover a bounty of culture and cuisine at the pavilion’s handicraft shop and restaurant.


Holy See: Christmas Celebration

Christmas Celebration

Participants

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Christmas @ Expo.