World Expo 2020 UAE is taking place in Dubai. Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo event to be held in the Middle East. In November 2013, the UAE government achieved this feat after two years of planning and hard work. After proposing to the BIE to host Expo 2020 and receiving the support of 116 out of 164 countries, the night of dreams arrived. That night, the people of Dubai celebrated with fireworks around the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
Ismail, CEO of Mirai Group Japan, reports on his first-hand experience of Expo 2020 Dubai.
Singapore - Nature. Nuture. Future.
Singapore's sustainability journey began in 1965, shortly after the country's independence, before environmental issues became a global concern. At that time, it was still a young developing country, facing problems such as high unemployment, an unskilled workforce, unsanitary living conditions and a lack of proper public infrastructure. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew believed that the concrete urban jungle was destructive to the human spirit and that natural greenery was needed to uplift the human spirit, so he came up with the bold idea of greening Singapore.
Through careful and integrated urban planning and development, Singapore is now one of the greenest cities in the world despite being one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with green space expanding from 35.7 per cent in 1986 to almost 50 per cent today. The penetration of greenery into the urban landscape is the result of dedicated and sustained efforts over the past few decades. In the future, Singapore aims to become a "city in nature", where people can enhance the quality of life by living in harmony with flora and fauna, and enjoy the benefits of biophilia, such as reduced stress, positive mood and improved cognition.
There are also firm targets on green building, such as quadrupling the amount of solar power installed by 2025, reducing waste to landfill by increasing recycling rates to at least 70% by 2030, and increasing local food production to 30% by 2030. Singapore's goals on climate change are outlined in "Singapore Green Plan 2030", a living plan that everyone can participate in to co-create solutions for sustainability.
The Singapore Pavilion has been designed as a self-sufficient ecosystem with minimal environmental impact and will have zero energy consumption during the exhibition. 100% of the pavilion's energy needs will be supplied by 517 solar panels installed on the roof. The pavilion also features a recirculating water system that uses reverse osmosis membranes to desalinate the site's salty groundwater, which can be used for a variety of purposes including irrigation and misting.
The pavilion is planted with a variety of plants, including some native to Singapore. Canopy integrated of trees and palms planted around the perimeter of the pavilion withstands strong winds and provides shade for visitors, creating a microclimate within the pavilion. Sun pipes bring the sun's rays down through the roof and into the pavilion's interior spaces. Together with lighting fixtures that mimic the sun's rays, the light is adjusted to allow plants to grow even in secluded indoor areas with little natural light. This seamless integration and coexistence of nature and architecture resonates with the vision of a 'city in nature'.
A large roof canopy shelter, lush vegetation and strategically placed dry mist fans provide a comfortable experience despite the desert heat. Dry mist fans produce a fine mist which, when combined with evapotranspiration cooling, can reduce the sensory temperature by 6-10 degrees without the need for energy-intensive air conditioning.
The food and drink menu has been designed to minimise non-food waste and to easily separate waste that can be treated in the 'eco-digester' into grey water and waste that can be recycled. This reduces the amount of waste that has to be transported off site for recycling and saves energy by eliminating the need to install air conditioning in the waste disposal room.
The pavilion demonstrates how the built environment can coexist with nature and be comfortable for the end user, even in a desert environment. As a prototype of a livable and resilient city of the future, it reflects Singapore's ethos of sustainable development through conscious design and the deliberate application of innovative and smart urban solutions.
Russia - an infinite source of creativity
The colourful Russian Pavilion, located in the Mobility Area, is very popular with Expo visitors, with the outer horizon representing the inner creativity. Russia produces some of the world's best creative talent in the fields of music, art and invention. These achievements are the starting point for asking questions about the future, understanding each other beyond differences, and connecting people with each other.
In the pavilion you can learn about Russia's scientific and cultural heritage, experience traditional Russian cuisine, popular culture, modern culture and Russian hospitality.
A vision for the future
As part of the activities for the National Day of the Russian Federation at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Russian Pavilion organised an event entitled "Russia Forum... Leading the Future" at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.
The event brought together the Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, as well as officials and experts from various fields of entrepreneurship, creative industries, technology and innovation development.
The forum covered a number of important topics, including the creative economy: from start-ups to new industries and Russian technology exports. Russian technology companies in the context of global technology; the future of medicine: the human brain and digital intelligence at the core of scientific discovery.
Creative industries
The organisers of the Forum pointed out that the creative industries are significantly outpacing the global economy by 12-15% every year, and that despite the COVID pandemic, the industry is one of the main drivers of global economic growth, as 2021 has been designated the International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. He pointed out that it is one of the driving factors. The creative sector is a major economic sphere whose participants are diverse and transcend geographical boundaries, attracting young professionals who are shaping our future.
Alexei Forsei, Head of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development in Moscow, said. "At Expo 2020 Dubai, as with many major global events to promote Russia's innovation sector, we are currently working with you to build on the foundations of this sector and experiment with ways to help it." To achieve more prosperity.
twofour54
Sultan Al Riyami, Head of Gaming Operations at the Abu Dhabi Games and Esports Initiative, said The development of an innovation sector requires the infrastructure to support it. Abu Dhabi's twofour54 media zone has been a success over the past decade with an incredible amount of investment, especially with regard to innovative industries in The cinema sector.
As Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area, occupying one eighth of the country's land mass, the forum also touched upon measures taken in recent years to improve the investment climate in Russia and the areas that are attractive to Middle Eastern countries wishing to cooperate with the Russian region.
Electronic market
On e-markets and the delivery of purchases, Maxim Akimov, CEO of Russian Post, said Russian companies are developing their e-commerce networks, and they are doing this in a country where statistics show that half of the world's population lives in countries with a higher e-commerce penetration rate than in Russia.
It was discussed at the forum that Russia's diverse geography, population and climate offer tremendous opportunities for potential partners, with each region having its own unique and competitive advantages. The Forum presented a number of Russian regions that have established modern complexes in various fields such as tourism, art, innovative development, science and technology.
At Mirai Group Japan, we are always on the lookout for the latest innovations in the world to support you in realising your business opportunities.