Dubai is defying the pandemic scare unleashed by Omicron. The visitors numbers are reaching a million and more prominent visitors are attending events at Expo.
“The UAE has defied the global pandemic with Expo 2020 Dubai, gathering 192 countries while applying strict precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved,” said Francisco Andre, Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
He was attending an event to celebrate Portugal’s National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai in the presence of Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Director-General for the Expo 2020 Dubai.
Portugal celebrated with a packed itinerary of cultural shows, attended by Andre, Luís Castro, Portugal’s Commissioner-General to Expo 2020 Dubai, and several Emirati and Portuguese officials.
The celebration featured Portuguese folk music performances, which the attendees appreciated.
During the event, Andre commended the vision of the UAE’s leadership, stating, “The UAE and Portugal share deep-rooted diplomatic ties and relations, and we aim to boost our economic and investment relations in the near future.”
“Expo 2020 Dubai is an outstanding opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors to share cultures, opinions and opportunities with a large audience. The Portuguese pavilion invites visitors to an unlimited journey to explore Portugal,” he added.
“The major international event is taking place during a critical time. We aim to promote Portugal as a modern and sustainable economy that links cultures and maintains excellent relations with the entire world. We are enthusiastically establishing new partnerships with the UAE in all areas,” he further added.
India Pavilion
India Pavilion is one of the most popular venues at the event. The Pavilion was inaugurated by Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, on October 1, 2021, and has so far clocked over 7 lakh visitors as of first week of January. The India Pavilion had crossed 6 lakh footfalls on December 22, 2021.
The India Pavilion is currently hosting the Goa Week. Mr. J Ashok Kumar, Secretary, Industries & Tourism, Government of Goa inaugurated the event in the presence of Consul General of India Dr Aman Puri besides Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Secretary – Revenue, IT, Labour & Employment and Ms. Swetika Sachan, CEO, Goa-IPB, Mr. Gavin Dias, General Manager, Goa Tourism Board.
In December, the India Pavilion saw high-profile visits including Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, B.S. Yediyurappa, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, and India’s Foreign Secretary, Harsh V Shringla among others.
Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza, renowned fashion designer, entrepreneur and film maker, Manish Malhotra and noted Indian singers Hariharan, Benny Dayal, Jonita Gandhi among others also visited the India Pavilion recently.
States such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and UT of Ladakh among others have successfully showcased their business ecosystem along with rich cultural heritage and sourced investment opportunities from leading global investors. Additionally, sectors such as New and Renewable Energy, Space, Urban and Rural Development, Oil & Gas, Textile, Knowledge and Learning have held respective weeks to highlight the growth and investment opportunities in these areas.
The upcoming weeks at the India Pavilion will witness participation from states such as Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu among others and sectors such as Steel, Healthcare, Electronics and Information Technology, Energy Conservation, Environment & Sustainability, Tribal Affairs to name a few.
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