Expo 2020 Dubai has officially been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The decision has been taken after a meeting between the event’s steering committee comprising of officials from the UAE and foreign countries participating in the event. “While everyone involved in Expo 2020 Dubai remains firmly committed, many countries have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and they have expressed a need to postpone Expo’s opening by one year, to enable them to overcome this challenge,” said the official statement.
“We believe that now, more than ever, humanity needs to come together to remember what unites us. This is not a cancellation, but we must also play our part in keeping everybody involved healthy and well.”
The confirmation was also made through a message from Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai. It said: ““When we come together as one, humanity knows no limits. Our promise still stands – connecting minds, creating the future.”
Dubbed the “World’s Greatest Show,” the Expo was slated to take place from October 20 to April 10 2021, bringing together 192 countries and over 11 million overseas visitors. The new dates for the event have not been decided yet.
Nearly all countries in the world have restricted travel by closing borders and grounding flights in and out of them, leading to the cancelation of many major events. The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, has officially canceled the upcoming men’s and couture fashion weeks scheduled to take place Paris in June. Milan’s Camera Nazionale della Moda, which oversees Italian fashion, has also postponed the men’s shows which will now take place alongside the womenswear shows in September.
After the World Health Organization deemed the Novel Coronavirus a global “pandemic”, various disciplinary bodies across the UAE government began taking immediate action to ensure the safety of the local community and protect the public health of all its citizens. These measures include the suspension of flights to major destinations in countries across the world, and a nationwide disinfection program due to which the residents of the country have been urged to not leave their homes unless it is to get food, medicine or, for an emergency.
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