UAE Pavilion wraps up Expo Osaka participation, welcomes 5m visitors

The UAE Pavilion has concluded its six-month participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, an event focused on innovation and cultural exchange, after attracting over five million physical and virtual visitors since its opening on 13th April 2025, making it one of the most visited international pavilions.

The pavilion welcomed 4,930,645 million in-person visitors, 113,443 online visitors, and more than 17,000 virtual attendees via the Expo platform, underscoring its strong public engagement in Japan and worldwide.

The closing celebration gathered the Pavilion’s team, youth ambassadors from the UAE and Japan, and the four official partners: Adnoc, Pure Health, Space42, and the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi.

The event featured speeches by the youth ambassadors and Pavilion officials, alongside a presentation reflecting on the Pavilion’s journey, values, and message.

Shihab Ahmed Al Faheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, said the UAE Pavilion was “not just an exhibition space, but a vibrant platform that connected cultures and ideas, fostering a cross-border human dialogue.”

He noted that the enthusiasm and inspiring presence of the youth ambassadors, combined with the dedication of the team and partners, played a key role in shaping the Pavilion’s unique experience.

Throughout Expo 2025 Osaka, the UAE Pavilion embodied the theme “Earth to Ether” with its distinctive architectural design and interactive experience inspired by the date palm. Visitors embarked on an immersive journey through exhibits on space exploration, healthcare innovation, and sustainable technologies, demonstrating how the UAE’s heritage inspires its path to progress.

The Pavilion also received a Bronze Award from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) for Architectural and Landscape Design in the self-built pavilions Type A (larger than 1,500m2) category, positioning it among the top three large pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka. The recognition honours the design, execution, and spirit of innovation and collaboration that defined the UAE’s presence.

Over six months, it hosted a series of forums, cultural performances, and youth initiatives, welcoming high-level delegations and thousands of visitors. The UAE National Day at Expo, held on 19th September in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, was among the event’s highlights.

The Expo hosted over 150 participants from countries, organisations, and companies, all gathered to explore ways to build a sustainable, human-centric future.

The closure marks another chapter in the UAE’s enduring Expo legacy, from its first participation in Expo 1970 Osaka to hosting Expo 2020 Dubai, and its return to Osaka in 2025, continuing its role as a platform for building friendships and promoting shared progress.

By September 2025, UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka–Kansai has welcomed more than four million visitors, making it one of the most popular national pavilions at the event.

The milestone follows the recent UAE Day celebrations at Expo 2025 Osaka, which featured cultural performances and high-level participation led by His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, alongside senior officials from the UAE, Japan and Expo leadership.

To mark the achievement, the UAE Pavilion organised an activity where visitors collectively coloured a giant mural on its facade that gradually revealed the number 4,000,000, symbolising shared celebration and connection.

Shihab Ahmed Al Faheem, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Japan and Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilion, said the landmark figure reflects the Pavilion’s impact, noting it has become a space where visitors experience Emirati hospitality, engage with youth ambassadors, and connect with the UAE’s story.

Since opening in April 2025 under the theme “From Earth to Ether”, the Pavilion has offered a multi-sensory journey through five themed zones highlighting the UAE’s achievements in space exploration, healthcare innovation, sustainability, environmental leadership and cultural heritage.

With Expo 2025 Osaka running until 13th October, the UAE Pavilion continues to stand out as one of the most visited attractions at the exhibition.

Meanwhile His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has visited the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka on September 19, 2025.

Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed toured the pavilion’s exhibition, which features an innovative architectural design of 90 soaring palm rachis columns reaching up to 16 metres high. Inspired by the UAE’s iconic date palm, the columns were crafted from more than 2 million palm fronds, highlighting the innovative reuse of natural materials.

WAM