If you were in Downtown yesterday and wondered why there was so much security it was because Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai was in town for the big reveal we’ve all been waiting for – the new Expo 2020 logo.
A huge ceremony took place last night at the iconic Burj Khalifa in front of thousands of proud UAE citizens, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid and his son His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as the Expo 202o logo was unveiled.
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Sheikh Mohammed addressed the crowd and held up a 4,000-year-old gold ring found in an archaeological site in the desert. What was it’s relevance? The ring was the inspiration behind the design of the logo, which features a series of circles with loops encircling it as a gold light shines through the middle. There’s an almost Arab mosaic feel to the logo.
Sheikh Mohammed at the archaeological site
The historical ring was actually discovered by Sheikh Mohammed, who spotted an archaeological site in Sarouq Al Hadeed while flying over the area on his helicopter and recognising that the ripples of the sand dunes were different to surrounding areas. The ring is one of the more recent discoveries of more than 10,000 artefacts, including found by archaeologists over the past three years.
“We have chosen an authentic Emirati logo for Dubai Expo 2020,” said Sheikh Mohammed. “The design of the logo is inspired by a civilisation that existed 4,000 years ago in an area extending from Baynounah in Abu Dhabi to Saroug Al Hadeed in Dubai and from Maliha Valley in Sharjah to the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. This land connected ancient civilisations and we will continue to be a hub that connects the world.”
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Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and director general of the Bureau Dubai Expo 2020 commended Sheikh Mohammed’s choice of inspirational artefact – it would be all too easy to have chosen the traditional dagger, but instead he went for something more pure and simple. Al Hashimy said: “Incredibly ancient, historically significant, culturally symbolic and astonishingly beautiful, this delicate circle is wonderful and conveys the message of our Expo – connecting minds, creating the future.”
After the logo unveiling three UAE residents – Mohamed Souheil Bin Ali, a graphic designer and architect; Mouza Al Mansouri, a corporate communications professional; and Valeri IInitki, a computer graphics artist – were presented with awards for their logo designs after being shortlisted by the Expo 2020 Dubai High Committee. Sheikh Hamdan presented the three finalists with their awards and Al Hashimy, revealed, while Sheikh Mohammed’s logo is the main Expo 2020 emblem, there are plans for all of the designs to be featured at the Expo site.
The Expo 2020 event will run from October 2020 to April 2021 and is expected to attract 25 million visitors to the Dubai Trade Centre site near Jebel Ali – construction on the site is set to start in July 2016, and to be completed by 2019.
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Dubai’s theme for the Expo is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. Throughout the six months, Dubai’s Expo will play host to hundreds of countries, companies and people who bring insight into what is possible in the spheres of opportunity, mobility and sustainability. Millions of people from around the world will be able to share an experience that has one aim: to contribute to building a better future.
According expo2020dubai.ae, the Expo will bring more jobs and money into the region: “World Expo is a catalyst for economic, cultural and social transformation and generates important legacies for the host city and nation.”
To celebrate the reveal of the new logo, Burj Khalifa was lit up in the design. check out the video here:
Such an iconic moment in history! The reveal of the new #Expo2020 logo on #BurjKhalifa.@DubaiExpo2020 pic.twitter.com/MKusHqw2Bf
— Burj Khalifa (@BurjKhalifa) March 27, 2016
