H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Expo 2020 Dubai, on Friday opened the UAE Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015 in the presence of Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Transport Department and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State, Managing Director of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee; Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, and Mohammed Al Abbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties.

Salem Al Ameri, Commissioner-General and Deputy Director-General of the National Media Council (NMC) which is organising the pavilion, welcomed the UAE delegation at the sloping funnel-shaped entrance.

The pavilion welcomed its first group of enthusiastic mostly Italian visitors at 1:30pm soon after conclusion of the official opening ceremony.

As the queue moved forward and up the ramp, Emirati Ambassadors and Italian hostesses guided people towards a series of media cubes where they learnt first about the challenges that the UAE faces in terms of the Expo theme, and later about some of the solutions that are being applied to meet those challenges.

Visitors were impressed by the cinematic and theatrical presentations in the form of mini-feature Family Tree and digital theatrical performance of Future Talk. Following these shows they were free to relax in the oasis, explore the Future Business UAE exhibition, discover the Secret Life of Date Palms (a unique display curated by Dubai-based Cultural Engineering), or to find out more about plans for Dubai Expo 2020.

One young Emirati visitor to the UAE Pavilion had a double celebration – first her ninth birthday, and secondly her chance to watch the film and show in which she stars as ‘Sarah'. Mahra Hesham Mustafa took celebrity status in her stride as she interacted with the visiting delegation to the pavilion.

Focussing on the Milan Expo theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life, the UAE Pavilion explores this global theme from both national and international aspects.

Built on a 5000 sqm site and with a gross area of 3500 sqm, with 1175 sqm dedicated to exhibition and visitor experiences, the UAE Pavilion is one of the largest pavilions at the World Expo. Architects Foster + Partners designed the building with sustainability in mind and so that it can be shipped back to the UAE and rebuilt as a permanent structure.