Visitors gather around the Italian pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai,

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

The visitors who have walked across the threshold of the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai since the opening of the Universal Exposition to date amount to about 680 thousand, with a forecast of reaching 700 thousand by the end of the year.

In addition to the public physically present, 7 million virtual visitors were involved in the first three months of the Expo, participating in the hundreds of activities and events organized by the Italy Pavilion through social media, the website and online community.

According to a survey carried out by the CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati firm - one of the co-designers of the Italy Pavilion - out of the 190 national pavilions present at the Expo, and apart from the Pavilion of the hosting Country - the Emirates, the Italy Pavilion was the most cited in the online media in the world, after the US pavilion.

In the period from September 2019 to today, the Italy Pavilion has been mentioned over 4 thousand times, according to the Cision Media monitoring system.

“We are glad to notice that the experiments we have carried out together are intriguing, stimulating discussion and the expression of opinions. We hope that this experience marks the beginning of a season of experiments increasingly involving circularity and sustainability in similar future events”, said Carlo Ratti, one of the designers of the Italy Pavilion together with the Italo Rota Building Office, and with Matteogatto & associates and F&M Ingegneria.

The growing numbers of visitors during the Christmas holidays rewarded the Pavilion which ensured a unique and safe experience in absolute safety, thanks to the adoption of stringent measures and technologies aimed at minimizing the risk of contagion.

In the last two weeks, the Italy Pavilion further tightened its safety measures by increasing social distancing, sanitizing the premises more frequently, measuring visitors’ temperature at the entrance and by regulating entrances to a maximum number of visitors at a time.

The staff and volunteers who work at the Pavilion are required to have molecular swabs taken every 48 hours, so that local health authorities can constantly monitor the situation.

Safety, technology and sustainability have always been the backbone of the project and the basis of the philosophy of the Pavilion, where some of Italy’s leading experts have put their know-how at the service of visitors, addressing not only the COVID-19 emergency, but also broader health-related issues.

The goal achieved is a Pavilion that protects the thousands of daily visitors using traditional methods which include natural ventilation and cutting-edge technology such as nanotechnologies for sanitation.

Indeed, the Italian project has laid out an “open” path for visitors which guarantees a continuous exchange of air inside the Pavilion: this has been recognized worldwide by all institutions as the most efficient measure to reduce the possible risk of contagion.

The Octo PurePIace system uses nanotechnology originally developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to diffuse a disinfectant that eliminates viruses, bacteria, fungi, as well as odours and volatile organic compounds present in the air and on surfaces.

The quality of the air inside the Pavilion is further improved by an intensive cultivation of algae installed and managed by the TOLO Green company on a surface of over 300 square meters, which increases the absorption of the C02 emitted by visitors and strengthens the air exchange system. In the last stages of its construction, the Pavilion was also equipped with an innovative sanitization system that ensures semi-permanent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal protection of internal and external surfaces.

5th MahaBiz 2022: A 2-day business forum with the expected participation of around 600 delegates will BE held in Dubai to provide a wide range of business opportunities for businessmen, entrepreneurs and investors from UAE, GCC, Maharashtra, India and Africa.

The forum will be organizing by Dubai-based GMBF (Gulf Maharashtra Business Forum) Global on February 19 and 20, 2022 in Dubai.

The details of upcoming GMBF Global was unveiled in a press conference held in Indian Club, Dubai.

While addressing Dr Sunil Manjarekar, President GMBF Global said that the business forum with over 500 Global members is actively engaged in creating sustainable, mutually beneficial business opportunities for businessmen, entrepreneurs & investors from UAE, GCC, Maharashtra, India & Africa region.

“The GMBF Global offers interactive networking opportunities for its members, through specially curated programs in each month. The programs address wide range of topics to include business insights, guidance from domain experts, mentoring by successful business leaders, economy and market updates and most importantly exchange of global business opportunities,” he said.

Vivek Kolhatkar, general secretary GMBF while addressing the gathering said, “the GMBF Global organizes bi-annual business convention as MahaBiz a signature business convention that promotes trade and business between the state of Maharashtra, India and the Middle East and Africa. MahaBiz 2020, the fourth edition of MahaBiz was held  in Dubai on 20th & 21st February 2020 in The Atlantis, The Palm and was grand success with attendance over 600 delegates that helped many to establish their operations in this region and facilitated business & collaboration opportunities for international businesses in Maharashtra,” he said.

Highlighting the details of 5th GMBF Global, he said that “the 5th edition of MahaBiz 2022  to be held on 19-20 February 2022 at a Grand Hyatt International Business Convention Centre Dubai in association with local and international business chambers and business associations.  Members of these organizations comprising people from various industries, trades, agriculture & professionals are registering as delegates for MahaBiz 2022. MahaBiz is a unique platform seen as window to world, which provides opportunities for businessmen from Maharashtra, India, Gulf countries and Africa to explore possibilities of working and growing together”.

MahaBiz 2022 will give an opportunity to meet over 600 plus participants including investors, buyers, professionals, and domain experts from various industries from 15 different countries including India, GCC Countries and Africa.

The delegates at the MahaBiz 2022 will also visit to Expo 2020 Dubai and a full day conference  will have various interactive sessions including mastering business networking, learning, unlearning & relearning, empowering SME’s for doing business in MENA and Africa country specific opportunities in MENA region and Africa, ideas & trends in start-ups, women power in business arena and interaction with successful business leaders.