Expo City Dubai on Monday announced a jam-packed calendar of events – including forums, exhibitions, and performances – as it kicks off its one-year countdown to COP28.
Home to the Expo 2020 mega-event for six months last year, the site will hold a sustainability-themed event calendar, culminating activations that will be held over the coming 12 months before the climate conference next year.
COP28 is set to take place from November 6 to 17 next year at the Expo City Dubai site. Like previous editions, the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will address global warming and climate change issues.
The state-of-the-art ‘green’ destination Expo City Dubai shares COP28’s objectives of achieving greater sustainability and enabling action to push for a more climate-secure future.
“Tackling climate change remains at the top of the global agenda, a priority for the UAE, and a conversation we are actively engaged in as a city and educational hub. It is clear that every individual must bear the responsibility to learn more about the challenges we face and how we can each play a role to help address them,” said Expo City Dubai’s chief of education and culture, Marjan Faraidooni, adding that the sustainable-centric site was “proud” to host COP28.
The Next Gen World Majlis
The Next Gen World Majlis, an Expo School Program platform for youth to discuss issues that impact all our futures, will make its post-Expo 2020 comeback on 21 November.
A group of students aged between nine and 12 years old, selected from schools across the UAE, will explore the climate crisis, probing who, if anyone, can be held responsible; what should be asked of world leaders; the current role and potential of schools in tackling the crisis; and the risks of inaction.
The event is in line with World Children’s Day, commemorated annually on November 20 to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and the improvement of children’s welfare.
Youth also takes center stage in the return of Expo Young Stars on November 24 and 25 at Al Wasl Plaza, where students will express their thoughts and present an interpretation of climate issues through sustainability-themed performances.
Exciting performances and events
Part of the Expo School Program, the Expo Young Stars performances are open to the public, and attendance is free of charge.
The events will then be followed by the ‘Reflections on Climate Change’ exhibition which will invite visitors to learn about the history of previous COP summits and the goals that were set out, global crises, and initiatives in place to maintain a more sustainable, climate-secure future. Dates for the exhibition will be announced at a later stage.
Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion continues to welcome visitors as it brings Expo City Dubai’s commitment to sustainability to life, taking them on a journey under the ocean or through the forest, and empowering individuals of all nationalities, ages and interests to make more sustainable choices in their own lives.
An example of sustainability in action, Expo City Dubai retains 80 percent of the Expo 2020 site’s built infrastructure, including 123 LEED-certified buildings and eight infrastructure projects rated ‘Excellent’ under CEEQUAL.
“Designed as a blueprint for green urban planning, Expo City Dubai is spearheaded by the same team that delivered one of the most sustainable World Expos in history and rallied all segments of society around topics that matter to humanity,” Faraidooni added.
“Leveraging our signature creative storytelling and expertise as a convener, our diverse programming will engage everyone, regardless of age, background or awareness, in wider efforts to mitigate climate change, building momentum to COP28 and beyond as Expo City continues its journey to net zero.”
Source: AlArabiya News
