For the first time in Expo history, the Expo 2020 will host the World Chess Championship in which two world-class players go head-to-head, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to India Dr Ahmed Albanna said on Wednesday.
Interacting with Indian media at UAE Embassy here on the occasion of the UAE's Golden Jubilee Celebrations that started on November 24 and will continue until December 16, Albanna said: "Magnus Carlsen from Norway and Ian Nepomniachtchi from Russia will start their games this week for a 2.25 million US dollars prize".
Expo 2020, which opened on October 1, this year in Dubai, will conclude on March 31, 2022. The event coincides with the UAE's 50th anniversary in 2021.
The ambassador said that UAE has selected "Connecting minds, creating the future" as a theme of Expo 2020 with three subthemes-- opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
"While the theme "opportunity" would aim to look at solutions to social problems, mobility will open up avenues to explore new frontiers through digital connectivity. The third theme -- Sustainability, on the other hand, would look at alternative sources for food, water and clean renewable energy to make efforts to preserve the planet," Albanna said.
He further said that "India had been allotted a permanent exhibition space at the Expo 2020".
"Several Countries has organized their national days at the Expo site and most importantly, the Dubai police band and Indian ex-patriate groups gave a special performance on the occasion of Indian festival Diwali at the Expo 2020," mentioned the UAE ambassador to India.
Albanna said that as of now, more than four million people have been visited Expo 2020 since opening to the public on October 1. "In terms of the number of virtual visits, figures show that those going online to catch a glimpse of the Expo reached a staggering 22 million so far. The Expo has so far attracted over 200,000 students from several schools across the UAE," he stated.
During his interaction, Albanna talked at length about the UAE celebrating the Golden Jubilee of its formation.
The ambassador said that "His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE announced 2021 as the 'Year of the 50th' to commemorate 50 years of the UAE's formation in 1971".
"From April 6, 2021, until March 31, 2022, the UAE will celebrate its remarkable journey over the last 50 years and begin preparing for the next 50,' he informed.
He said that the UAE has achieved significant milestones since the announcement of the union in 1971. "UAE's development over the past five decades has been amazing and emerging as one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide, said Albanna.
The ambassador said that the UAE since its formation has witnessed impressive economic and urban revolutions, crowning the country as one of the leading touristic destinations and investment hubs, both regionally and internationally.
He added that the great far-sightedness of the UAE's leadership has set a benchmark for what the UAE accomplished in terms of social upliftment of citizens and residents, economic growth, advancements in technology, space and education sectors.
"Inauguration of the New Dubai International Airport, Establishment of Ministry of Happiness, Launching an Artificial Intelligence Strategy, Hosting Expo 2020, are major achievements of the UAE in last decades," said the ambassador.
The ambassador said that the UAE is "embarking on a journey of new milestones and accomplishments particularly in the field of global scientific research and space exploration", pointing "the UAE has achieved excellence in harnessing space technology in the service of mankind".
"The launch of the UAE Space Agency and sending the first Arab spaceship to Mars are major achievements in this sector," Albanna said.
Referring to the status of women in the UAE, the ambassador said it has flourished in parallel with the country's growth since the federation was established in 1971. "It is evident across the UAE that women today constitute a vital part of the UAE's workforce and actively contribute to the country's growth and development."
The ambassador further said that as per the data from the UAE Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA), women in the diplomatic service and higher posts of government amount to 30 per cent of the UAE's civil service including diplomatic postings abroad and a total of 66 per cent of the government sector is represented by women.
( With inputs from ANI )
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