Fireworks illuminate the sky around Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, yesterday, after the city was chosen to host the World Expo 2020. The Gulf city state beat Russia’s Ekaterinberg in the final round of voting to clinch a prestigious event credited with delivering a huge boost to tourism and business for its host city.
PARIS: Dubai yesterday beat off opposition from Brazil, Russia and Turkey to win the right to host the 2020 World Expo, sparking celebrations in the city and a stunning fireworks display at the world’s tallest building.
The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani congratulated by telephone UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on winning the bid, QNA reported.
The city beat Russia’s Ekaterinberg in the final round of voting in Paris to clinch a prestigious event that is credited with delivering a huge boost to tourism and business in the host city.
Dubai, the economic and transport hub of the United Arab Emirates, won 116 votes in the third round, comfortably beating Ekaterinberg with 47. There was one abstention.
The four candidate cities, which also included Brazil’s Sao Paulo and Turkey’s Izmir, had pulled out all the stops during 20-minute presentations before voting by the 168 member states of the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE), headquartered in Paris, which oversees the organisation of the events.
As the news broke, a Christmas tree style fireworks extravaganza lit the night sky at the Burj Khalifa tower which stands 828-metres high. There were jubilant crowds at Dubai’s shopping malls and other pyrotechnics displays. The city kicked off the presentations by pitching itself as a futuristic, glitzy city.
The victory for Dubai — home to the world’s tallest tower, largest man-made island and one of the world’s busiest airports — means the World Expo will be hosted by an Arab country for the first time.
Dubai’s win confirmed the growing importance of Gulf states for international events.
“We renew our promise to astonish the world in 2020,” Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said after the win.
“Dubai Expo2020 will breathe new life into the ancient role of the Middle East as a melting pot for cultures and creativity,” he said in a statement. He promised the Dubai expo will “undoubtedly stand out as the best edition in the history of the event in terms of preparation and presentation”. According to UAE officials, 40 percent of the estimated 227,000 new jobs expected to be created as a result of Expo will be in the tourism and travel sectors. AFP
