UAE To Consider A New Launch Date For Expo 2020

While an official postponement has yet to be announced, Expo 2020’s organisers are looking at all options when it comes to safely putting on the ‘World’s Greatest Show’
 

As the world continues to be affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Expo 2020’s Steering Committee has collectively agreed to explore – along with the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the World Expo governing body – the possibility of a one year delay. The BIE is working with its Member States and Expo 2020 Dubai organisers to establish a change in dates. This means there is a possibility Expo 2020 could occur between October 2021 to March 2022.
 
The UAE government has also requested approval continue using Expo 2020 Dubai as the event’s official name.
 

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Further to this week’s agreement by the Steering Committee to explore options for a postponement, the Bureau of International Expositions has confirmed that a decision will be made by the Executive Committee meeting on 21 April and by two-thirds majority vote of BIE Member States. The BIE will consider a proposed change of dates for Expo 2020 Dubai, beginning 1 October 2021 and running to 31 March 2022, as formally requested by the UAE Government. لاحقا لاتفاق لجنة تسيير #إكسبو2020 دبي لدراسة إمكانية تأجيله، أكد المكتب الدولي للمعارض أن القرار سيتخذ من قبل اللجنة التنفيذية للمكتب في اجتماعها يوم 21 إبريل وبتصويت أغلبية الثلثين من الدول الأعضاء في المكتب الدولي للمعارض. سيناقش المكتب الدولي للمعارض تأجيل موعد إكسبو 2020 دبي ليبدأ في 1 أكتوبر 2021 ويستمر حتى 31 مارس 2022، بناء على طلب رسمي من حكومة دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة

A post shared by Expo 2020 Dubai (@expo2020dubai) on Apr 4, 2020 at 6:27am PDT

 
“Many countries have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and they have therefore expressed a need to postpone the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai by one year,” Expo 2020 Dubai director-general Reem al-Hashimi said in a statement.
 
The BIE said it would hold a virtual meeting on April 21 to discuss “options for a change of dates” for the six month event which was scheduled to kick off in October 2020.
 
Dubai has also extended its sterlization programme to 24 hours a day for two weeks and is currently enforcing stringent measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. These intensified measures require everyone to stay at home during this period and respect the laws that have recently been implemented to keep the population of the emirate safe.

Lead image courtesy of Instagram/Expo2020