Award provides strong catalyst to expo 2020

The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea would have not been awarded the Silver Medal for its ‘creative display’ without the unwavering support lent by the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,  Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It would also have not been possible without the sound directives of General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State and Managing Director of Higher Committee for Hosting the World Expo 2020 in Dubai said. In an interview with Emirates News Agency, Al Hashimi credited significant efforts Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the National Media Council (NMC), has made to enable the Pavilion render wonderful success before 8 million visitors to the international expo from more than 100 countries and international organisations over the elapsed three months. Al Hashimi said guidance of Sheikh Abdullah to the NMC, organiser and supervisor of the Pavilion, provided the key motive to the NMC team to score the prominent rank among category (A) of the top ten major exhibitors at Expo 2012 Yeosu. The minister cited words by Sheikh Abdullah during his meeting with Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, Secretary General of Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), : “We are keen on showing the real face of this part of the world, which is characterised with openness, tolerance and diversity. “The Government of UAE is firmly committed to present the best offer to win the bid to host World Expo 2020.” He added that “We are proud of the efforts being exerted to depict to the world the open and creative nature of the UAE community. We have the honour to welcome the world to see for itself the openness and tolerance we have in the UAE.” Expressing her extreme delight at this achievement, Al Hashimi said it had proven the merits of the UAE people to deliver excellence at international events, like Expo 2012 Yeosu, and to present the bright, civilised image of the UAE to the nations of the world. She indicated that the UAE team used the Expo 2012 Yeosu platform to promote the UAE bid to host Expo 2020 in Dubai. “The UAE has efficiently deserved the honour because the joint NMC and UAE team I had the honour to lead to the national day celebrations at Expo 2012 Yeosu had worked diligently before and during the Expo to promote achievements the UAE made over four decades,” she added.