Expo City Dubai: A look at its key milestones since launch

Image: Expo City Dubai/ WAM

Expo City Dubai was officially created in June 2022 and opened to the public in October last year. Since its launch, it has positioned itself as a real estate master developer, an ecosystem for the business community, a model of urban sustainability, a destination for events and experiences and a centre of knowledge and culture in line with the enduring legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai.

In a video released on Monday, Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority commended the vision of Expo 2020 Dubai and the progress made by Expo City Dubai.

Reem Al Hashimy said: “At Expo 2020 Dubai, we brought the world together in a spirit of friendship and optimism, and we promised we would meet again to continue to connect minds and shape the future – a promise we have fulfilled in the first year of our life as a new city and hub on the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

“We have accomplished a great deal – from launching smart, sustainable residential communities and welcoming business partners, to building a city rich in entertainment and culture and inspiring learners of all ages. But this is only the beginning. Working together to create a more healthy, balanced world is in our DNA, and we look forward to more organisations, residents, students and visitors joining us as our city grows and flourishes.”

Welcome to Expo City Dubai—a city with a bold vision to deliver a sustainable future.

A city leading the way to a cleaner, healthier, brighter future. For everyone.

A city to call home.#ExpoCityDubai pic.twitter.com/2O7ywIwnlx

— Expo City Dubai (@expocitydubai) July 17, 2023

Here are some of the key achievements of Expo City Dubai

• In March, Expo City Dubai unveiled Expo Valley and Expo Central – residential developments that feature best practices in sustainable and inclusive design within a 15-minute smart, people-centric community. Conveniently located between Dubai and Abu Dhabi and easily accessible by metro, the projects’ first phase is underway, developed by the same team that created the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
  Linked to Expo City, Expo Valley combines care for the planet with the health, wellbeing, and happiness of its residents, with villas and townhouses dispersed throughout a natural landscape. Expo Central, located at the heart of the proud legacy city of the World Expo, offers luxury apartments and townhouses a vibrant, community feel.
• The destination provides an enabling environment for businesses to scale and grow, and around 3,000 employees from local and global organisations will have established offices within the city by September, supporting Dubai’s position as a global trade hub. As it grows, Expo City will welcome more businesses, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurs, organisations, academia and research institutions, including those looking to establish in the UAE for the first time.
• Expo City Dubai is committed to forging a more environmentally-conscious future as it continues its decarbonisation journey. It is doing this through the Climate Ambassadors Programme – a joint initiative between the Expo School Programme and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) – which has seen almost 2,400 UAE school and university students step into the shoes of climate negotiators attending COP28, which Expo City will host later this year.At a global level, its Expo Live Innovation Programme, which actively supports solutions that address climate change and make a positive impact on the planet, recently selected 36 grassroots climate-related innovations from 34 countries including Bangladesh, Botswana, Peru and the UAE, to receive funding and guidance, as well as a platform at COP28. With sustainability at its core, Expo City’s strategy spans decarbonisation, sustainable construction, waste, wellbeing, accessibility and more, as well as ongoing events designed to educate visitors and inspire them to take climate action.
• The Expo School Programme continues to conduct school tours, holiday camps, exclusive events and hands-on workshops, providing students with memorable journeys and lifelong lessons.
• ‘Hai Ramadan’ brought together communities during the holy month, providing a cultural journey with experiences from across the Islamic world. Thousands of visitors celebrated the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Fan City, and Expo City Dubai has hosted over 20 community sporting events, engaging tens of thousands of participants and spectators. With more events – including the first ever UNTOLD music festival to be held outside Europe – being added to the calendar.
• Visitors can enjoy Expo City’s flagship pavilions via the Dhs120 one-day Attractions Pass, which gives entry to Alif, Terra and the Vision and Women’s Pavilions, as well as the tree Stories of Nations exhibitions. Experiences can be visited individually for Dhs50, and children aged 12 and under as well as people of determination enjoy free entry. The Public Realm, which includes parks and playgrounds as well as Al Wasl Plaza and the Surreal water feature, is free to visit at any time.