The United Nations participation at Expo is focused on programming that champions international cooperation and the SDGs for the Decade of Action, in the UN Hub at Expo, as well as across the UN International Days, thematic weeks and the Global Goals week being observed as part of the People and Planet Programme organized by Expo. Stay tuned for more and connect via @UN_UAE #UNHub
Calendar (1 October 2021 - 31 March 2022)
You can find detailed information about Expo’s Programme for People and Planet.
Previous Expo Events
Opening Ceremony
You can watch Expo 2020 Dubai’s opening ceremony, which took place on 1 October.
World Food Day
On 16 October 2021, World Food Day at Expo was observed with a variety of events, co-curated by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
UN Day at Expo
On 24 October 2021, Expo observed United Nations Day as an Honor Day with a variety of official events. This included an official ceremony at the Al Wasl Dome and an exciting cultural performance by theEmirates Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO), a unique group of young musicians in the UAE and the Arab world at large, devoted to cultivating the musical talent of young people, by creating a cultural and artistic environment for young talents for audiences of all ages. The ceremony took place on the Stage of Nations in Al Wasl Dome, with the presence of high-level government officials from the United Arab Emirates. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed joined the ceremony in person and gave opening remarks to commemorate the global efforts and impact of the United Nations work to serve people and planet for 76 years. Audiences from all over the world joined the Honor Day ceremony virtually. The Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO) also played again at the Al Wasl Dome for a “Music in the Garden Performance” in the afternoon.
The UN opened a selected group of photos from the exhibit#TheWorldWeWant—curated from more than 50,000 images from over 130 countries submitted to a global photo contest hosted and organized by mobile app Agora in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations. The physical exhibit is on display at the Opportunity Pavilion plaza, just across from the #UNHub. To visit the exhibit in person, please find more information about accessing the Expo site.
Photo: Amna Bint Moussa
The values that have powered the UN Charter for the last 76 years — peace, development, human rights, and opportunity for all — have no expiry date. As we mark UN Day, let’s unite behind these ideals, and live up to the full promise, potential and hope of the United Nations.
Secretary-General António Guterres
World Cities Day
On 31 October 2021, World Cities Day at Expo was observed with a variety of events, co-curated by the UN-Habitat and the Executive Council of Dubai.
World Children’s Day
On 20 November 2021, World Children’s Day at Expo was observed with a variety of events, including a concert at the Al Wasl Dome, co-curated by the UNICEF and the UAE Ministry of Community Development.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
On 3 December 2021, International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed at Expo with co-curation by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the UAE Ministry of Community Development.
International Volunteer Day
International Volunteer Day was celebrated at Expo on 5 December 2021, co-curated by United Nations Volunteers (UNV), the UAE Ministry of Community Development and the Emirates Foundation.
International Human Rights Day
On 10 December 2021, International Human Rights Day was observed across the Expo site with various events, including a Dignified Storytelling Forum in which Maher Nasser, UN Commissioner General for Expo 2020 Dubai, spoke about the importance of storytelling that preserves the dignity of the storyteller and the subject.
International Universal Health Coverage Day
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention co-curated the observance of International Universal Health Coverage Day at Expo on 12 December 2021. A diverse programme that featured the participation of Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, included a “Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge” hosted on the Expo site and a specialist event to encourage policy dialogue.
World Arabic Language Day
On 18 December 2021, World Arabic Language Day was celebrated at Expo. The United Nations Department of Global Communications helped commemorate the day by co-organizing an exhibit and live calligraphy demonstration with the League of Arab States Pavilion and the World Expo Museum Pavilion.
International Human Solidarity Day
International Human Solidarity Day was celebrated at Expo on 20 December 2021 with several events across the Expo site, including a series of panels hosted by the Italian Pavilion featuring fruitful discussions about the importance of human solidary that included Maher Nasser, UN Commissioner General for Expo 2020 Dubai.
Global Goals Week at Expo 2020 Dubai
Global Goals Week (GGW) at Expo 2020 Dubai was observed from 15 January to 22 January 2022. Co-curated by Expo and Project Everyone in association with the United Nations, Global Goals Week served as a platform for different players to connect and work toward achieving the Global Goals at a critical time. To commemorate Global Goals Week, there were various events and programmes at Expo 2020 Dubai including the Al Wasl Dome SDG Show, Global Goals for All flagship event, Global Goals Business Forum, SDG Storytelling Lab, Global Best Practice Programme Assembly and Women’s Pavilion events.
Representatives of governments, civil society, the private sector, the scientific community, academia, United Nations entities and other stakeholders convened to examine solutions, drive momentum and identify a path forward that brings health to all, revives economies and brings the most vulnerable people from the margins. At the Al Wasl Dome SDG show, kicking off GGW, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed declared, “With the Global Goals woven into the fabric of Expo 2020, I cannot think of a more appropriate place for us to renew our shared commitment to keep the promises that we made in 2015.”
International Day of Education
Co-curated by UNESCO, the International Day of Education was marked on 24 January with featured key talks from students, teachers, and leaders in education, including Stefania Giannini (Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO).
Stefania Giannini gives the closing speech virtually for the International Day of Education - Photo Credit/Virtual Expo
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Expo marked the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February. The day was commemorated with a series of events co-curated by UNESCO and UNOOSA.
Talks focused on encouraging the next generation of young women and girls to pursue careers in the sciences, particularly in the emerging fields of space, climate change, and other rapidly evolving areas.
International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day was honored on 21 February at Expo with a diverse program of events. In addition to a variety of multilingual performances, panel discussions featured UN Deputy Commissioner-General for Expo 2020, Dr. Dena Assaf. Topics focused on the value of the world’s languages in relation to culture, identity formation, and societal well-being.
World Wildlife Day
World Wildlife Day was observed at Dubai Expo 2020 on Thursday 3 March 2022. The flagship World Wildlife Day event and a panel discussion were co-curated by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to shine a spotlight on local, regional, and global efforts to preserve, protect and save endangered species. “Protecting Life & the Planet: The imperative of actions” panel discussion was also held featuring Maher Nasser as a panelist.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day was observed on 8 March at Expo 2020 Dubai with the Break the Bias assembly and forum events, co-curated by the Women’s Pavilion and Cartier. The assembly featured a speech by the Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Anita Bhatia. The forum, with the goal of uniting women leaders across sectors, featured video contributions from UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, as well as a panel discussion with the Executive Director of UNFPA, Dr. Natalia Kanem and the virtual participation of the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. See the “Letters to the future generation,” part of the International Women’s Day event at Expo 2020 Dubai.
International Day of Happiness
The International Day of Happiness was observed on 20 March at Expo 2020 Dubai with the theme “Sharing Future Happiness.” Curated by the Finland Pavilion, Maher Nasser took part as a panelist for the discussion of the “Building Blocks of Happiness” session.
World Water Day
World Water Day, as part of World Water Week, was observed by Expo on 22 March. This observance included a Flagship Event held in association with UN-Water and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, opened by H.E. Mariam Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, who set the stage for world water day, raising awareness on the importance of water. Video messages by Gilbert F Houngo, Chair of UN-Water and President of IFAD and Michela Miletto, Coordinator and Director of UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme were also played in the event to emphasize how water issues are interconnected to threat multipliers such as climate change.
International Days
International Day for Tolerance
The United Nations is committed to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples. This imperative lies at the core of the United Nations Charter, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
World Children's Day
World Children's Day is meant to celebrate worldwide fraternity and understanding between children, as well as to promote the ideals and objectives of the UN Charter and the welfare of the children of the world.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Of the one billion population of persons with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries. The International Day of Disabled Persons aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development.