Sheikh Mohammed during visit to Syria Pavilion.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Thursday visited the pavilions of Syria and Paraguay at Expo 2020 Dubai as part of a series of visits to the global event. 

Sheikh Mohammed said Expo 2020 Dubai provides a bridge for uniting diverse cultures and nations around the world, enhancing international engagement and promoting the values of peace, tolerance and inclusiveness. The global event provides a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about path breaking discoveries, innovations and creative achievements that changed the course of human history and led to greater prosperity and progress, he further said.

Under the theme of ‘Connecting Minds Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 Dubai hosts the pavilions of 192 countries that showcase their culture, history, innovation and economic progress through immersive experiences.

At the Paraguayan pavilion, Sheikh Mohammed met Mario Abdo Benitez, the President of Paraguay, who is visiting the UAE to participate in the country’s National Day celebrations at Expo 2020 Dubai. The two leaders explored ways to enhance bilateral ties and deepen economic cooperation against the backdrop of the emergence of new investment opportunities in various fields.

They discussed the possibility of new partnerships in the areas of sustainable development, renewable energy and innovation, and explored avenues for cultural and knowledge exchange. He said expanding the UAE’s relationship with Paraguay will help consolidate broader ties between the region and Latin American countries.

During their tour of the pavilion, Sheikh Mohammed and President Mario Abdo Benitez were briefed on various exhibits focused on water, renewable energy, and mobility. The Paraguay pavilion details the strategic potential of water in the country when it comes to renewable energy as well as how Paraguay connects to the world via its rivers and food production.

The country’s principal exports are food and hydroelectricity. The pavilion also highlights its cultural riches, sustainable development and new business opportunities. Accompanying Sheikh Mohammed during the meeting and tour were Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, and Sheikh Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

Mohammed also visited the Syrian pavilion located in the Mobility District of Expo 2020. Under the theme, ‘We Will Rise Together’, the pavilion showcases Syria's history, civilization and future aspirations. The pavilion presents Syria as an influential country that has contributed immensely to the evolution of mankind. It showcases the development of a few of the world’s first agricultural societies in Syria, dating back to about 15,000 BC.

Visitors to the pavilion can also explore Syria’s role in developing early techniques for counting and recording that preceded writing by using numbers made of clay. Visitors to the Syrian pavilion can also see an identical replication of the Ugaritic alphabet dating back to nearly 1,400 BC and learn about the development of early writing systems and alphabets across the country.