A stage for new bonding

The Pacific Alliance, Latin America’s trade bloc comprising Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Mexico, celebrated its regional integration through a cross-cultural event held at the Peru Pavilion in the Expo 2020 Dubai recently.

The event led by Colombia, with the support of other member nations was held to reaffirm efforts to strengthen political and economic relations between member nations, as well as promote their respective rich cultural heritage at the global expo.

Diplomats, general commissioners of various national pavilions and business leaders from the member nations of the Pacific Alliance, attended the gala celebrations, which featured an exclusive four-hands dining experience crafted by the finest chefs from the Latin American region, Colombia’s Alex Salgado and Peru’s Iván Casusol Rossi.

Guests were treated to a unique gastronomic experience following an array of exquisite Latin American dishes served with authentic and natural ingredients from Pacific Alliance’s member nations, along with exotic Chilean and Mexican beverages. Jaime Amin, Ambassador of Colombia to the UAE, said: “Pacific Alliance has been successful as an integration process and is an example of Latin America for the world which presently has four associated countries, while four more countries are in the process of incorporation and 40 observer countries. The success of the Pacific Alliance demonstrates the strength of the political integration project, which will allow us to have 100 per cent tariff-free trade of goods and services between our four countries by 2030, which currently stands at 92 per cent.”

“As we celebrate the first ten years of regional integration, we observe with great optimism the processes of social-economic development and political stability of our countries as it is instrumental in our continued growth the proposed goals in the coming decades,” Amin added.

According to Marco Antonio Santivanez, Consul-General of Peru in the UAE, “The event held in Peru Pavilion brought the member nations of the Pacific Alliance together and enabled us to confirm that the strategic vision that inspires us fully converges with the future development goals of the UAE, which is an active observer of the alliance. It is also in line with generating new labour, academic, cultural and business opportunities beneficial to UAE and the member nations of the Pacific Alliance.”

Jorge Dacarett, Ambassador of Chile to the UAE, said: “The member nations of the Pacific Alliance understand that fostering collaboration and friendly relations with other countries is integral for development and nurturing business opportunities. And in UAE, we are represented by Pacific Alliance as a group of integrated countries that offers a favorable destination for investment and visit.”

The Pacific Alliance is a Latin American trade bloc formed by Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru to promote regional integration and free trade on April 28, 2011. A strategic platform that offers competitive advantages for international businesses, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, Pacific Alliance is the eighth economic power and export force globally.

Emirates NBD hosts Austrian delegation:  Emirates NBD Group, a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Turkey) region, and a Premier Partner and the Official Banking Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, today hosted an Austrian delegation at its Future Banking by Emirates NBD and Emirates Islamic branch located on Al Wasl Avenue at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The delegation was accompanied by senior representatives of DenizBank AG, a subsidiary of Emirates NBD Group. DenizBank AG was founded in 1996 and operates a network of 26 branches in Austria and Germany. The bank offers corporate, commercial and SME customers a broad portfolio of tailor-made financial services and is a strong partner for its over 180,000 retail and business customers.

Officials from the bank conducted a familiarisation session with a select group of individuals comprising Austrian SMEs and Corporates, keen to understand more about Emirates NBD’s offerings and how the bank can support Austrian businesses through its regional footprint and digital-first banking services. Emirates NBD looks forward to future collaborations and supporting Austrian businesses interested in establishing themselves in the UAE.

 ‘Miracle of Smile’: The Thailand Pavilion will celebrate Thailand National Day with a mesmerising cultural performance that invites families and friends to connect with Thailand’s beating heart – it’s people. The ‘Miracle of Smile’ cultural performance will take place on the Stage of Nation’s in Al Wasl Plaza, the beautiful central gathering point for the innovative world stage.

Running from 4pm to 5pm on Sunday, December 5, the spectacular event begins with a ceremonious raising of the Thai flag and speeches from Thai and UAE representatives. Performed by Thailand’s most promising and skilled young performers, the ‘Miracle of Smiles’ show highlights the authentic beauty of Thailand’s unique personality and culture. It also explores the pavilion’s concept of ‘Mobility for the Future’, showcasing how the world can build a planet through uniting people, organisations and nations. Indeed, Thailand hopes to use its time at Expo 2020 Dubai to not just present its heritage, but also demonstrate the capabilities of its smart, innovative and talented next generation.

The Miracle of Smiles takes the audience through an awe-inspiring journey of music, culture and art, featuring stand-out young talents such as 12-year-old musician Darat Wannasarnmaytha and Tachaya Pratumwan, runner-up on The Voice Thailand. Showcasing the unique nature of Thai traditions and how Thailand’s next generation have enormous potential to succeed in a wide range of fields, the show stars a reinvented and contemporary version of Thai martial arts, and an upbeat and synchronised acapella rendition from the youngest of the Thailand Pavilion Ambassadors. Inviting visitors from across the world to join together and celebrate Thai National Day, the performance will conclude with a vibrant Smile Parade back to the Thailand Pavilion.

The Thailand Pavilion is also delighted to announce that it has hosted over 500,000 visitors by Thailand National Day, and has now opened its country to tourists. With the UAE residents ranking second as current visitors to Thailand in 2021, the pavilion team is hopeful that Expo 2020 Dubai will boost Thailand’s tourism industry and lead to more investment.