Visitors at the Expo 2020 Dubai. Kamal Kassim, Gulf Today.

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, has visited the Brazilian Pavilion to have a closer look at the biodiversity in Brazil, its rivers, and mangroves, as well as national programmes launched to preserve the environment and address climate change.

Located at the Sustainability District, the Brazilian Pavilion raises the slogan “Together for sustainable development”.

During his visit, the minister reviewed the sustainable development plans developed by the Brazilian government for the Amazon region, in cooperation with the private sector and stakeholders, to promote development and upgrade the national economy.

Al Owais expressed his admiration for Brazilian pavilion, which reflects its culture and environment, adding that Expo 2020 Dubai represents a global platform that provides an ideal opportunity to learn about the civilisations, experiences and expertise of various countries, improve communication among peoples of the world and strengthen relations and ties in all fields and sectors.

“Expo 2020 Dubai mirrors the civilised and humanitarian role that the UAE and its wise leadership are committed to, with the aim of making an effective and influential contribution towards building a brighter future in which countries and peoples will enjoy greater prosperity, development and welfare,” Al Owais said.

The Brazilian pavilion focuses on the concept of sustainability through its design and the recyclable materials it uses, simulating the design of the Amazon basin, which is the largest river in the world, using audio-visual effects and a distinctive engineering design.

SCG (Siam Cement Group), one of the leading business conglomerates in the ASEAN region, has just concluded its special display at the Thailand Pavilion in the Mobility District of Expo 2020 Dubai.

The SCG hosted an educational and enlightening booth dedicated to the concept of ‘Innovation for Better Living’ and the brand’s groundbreaking sustainable solutions.

An innovative specialist in construction materials, chemicals and packaging, SCG was founded in Bangkok over a century ago. Throughout the event at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Thailand pavilion welcomed an average of more than 8,000 visitors per day. Ranked the top country pavilion in the Mobility District and the 4th best country pavilion in the whole of the event, SCG was proud and delighted to feature in the popular and inspiring space.  

Designed to enlighten business owners and entrepreneurs about how the brand is striving to become one of the world’s top international sustainable companies, SCG has declared the event an enormous success.  

Built on the principles of reputation, quality and innovation, SCG’s structure is based upon environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. Entitled ‘Innovation for Better Living’, the display at Expo 2020 Dubai highlighted the brand’s most technologically advanced products and solutions, whilst explaining how it is committed to protecting the environment, lowering CO2 emissions and creating a more sustainable, and high-quality standard of living for communities across the globe. Offering the chance for people to visit the booth both on site at Expo 2020 Dubai and virtually, the brand’s solutions were received with great interest. Guests were particularly interested in the brand’s building materials (including insulation and cement), innovative food packaging designed to suit modern consumer lifestyles and biodegradable chemicals. SCG’s representatives were able to use their time in Dubai to expand their network, create business leads and build the foundations for many new and prosperous partnerships with customers from the UAE, Oman, Qatar and beyond.

Throughout the six-day activation, SCG welcomed multiple important guests from Thailand and throughout the region. This included Waravuth Pouapinya, Ambassador of Thailand,  Chairat Sirivat, Consul-General of Thailand to Dubai and the Northern Emirate, Dr. Kasititorn Pooparadai, Senior Executive Vice President of Depa and Thailand Pavilion Director and Abhijit Datta, Managing Director, SCG International Corporation Co., Ltd. (Thailand Head Office).

Abhijit Datta, Managing Director of SCG International Corporation Co. Ltd., said: “I am delighted to report that our time at Expo 2020 Dubai was a fabulous success. By showcasing SCG’s ground-breaking sustainable products and solutions, we have substantially increased the region’s awareness of our brand and educated thousands of international professionals about our many varied offerings.

“The UAE is filled with endless exciting business opportunities and during our time here we have forged countless new connections. The experience has also helped us to grasp a better understanding of the region’s particular needs, and make the first steps towards building new partnerships with local and international businesses. Indeed, many of our visitors were highly impressed by our efforts to cut carbon commissions by using green polymers, a range of environmentally friendly chemical compounds that are used as raw materials for various industries. We will now work to develop these business leads that we’ve made with the Middle East’s construction, chemical and packaging industries. My colleagues and I all agree that Expo 2020 Dubai is one of the most amazing events we have ever attended, and it was an honour to be able to appear at the incredibly beautiful, colourful and immersive Thailand Pavilion.”

Meanwhile, the world is now hailing the vision and courage demonstrated by the leadership of Dubai and the UAE at this special time facing all the challenges and turning the challenges as blessings. About 3 to 5 percent of people visiting Expo 2020 is expected revisiting Dubai or planning to make Dubai their residence post the Expo.

In 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centrepiece of London’s Great Exhibition – the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, ‘Industry of All Nations’, were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organisations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand, and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment.

World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (‘Expos’) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of Expos are organised under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.