Attending the event were Prof. Dr. Ta Quang Dong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuan, the Ambassador of Viet Nam to the UAE; Mrs. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Commissioner General of Viet Nam at EXPO 2020 Dubai, Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and international guests including Mr. Omar Shehaded, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Chief of International Participants, Mr. Graham Cooke, Founder and President of World Travel Awards as well as Ambassadors and Commissioner Generals, Pavilion Director of International participants especially ASEAN member states and ASEAN Secretariat at EXPO 2020 Dubai and many more.
This year marks Viet Nam’s seventh presence at the World EXPO under the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Speaking at the Opening ceremony, Mr. Ta Quang Dong – Deputy Minister said: “The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most memorably devastating catastrophes of modern history, causing a tremendous impact on every aspect of social life. The participation of Viet Nam at EXPO 2020 demonstrates the firm commitments and great efforts of the Vietnamese Government to promote its national image, raise the cultural and creative values of Vietnamese people, and to add Vietnamese colour to the vivid-coloured painting of the world.”
Covering an area of more than 850 square metres, Viet Nam Pavilion is located at the Opportunity District, featuring the theme “Distilling the past, Shaping the future”.
Compared to previous Expos, this year, in addition to promoting national culture and traditions, the Viet Nam Pavilion also highlights numerous new achievements in science and technology. Visitors can experience Viet Nam through 3D VR glasses, touchscreens and learn more about technological achievements of “Make in Viet Nam” (a special campaign to emphasise the initiative in the creation and design of high-tech products by Vietnamese), such as the Dragon satellite line, sneakers made from recycled coffee and plastic, 3D-printed carbon fiber unibody products and Viet Nam’s own artificial intelligence robot and many more.
According to Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Viet Nam’s Commissioner General at EXPO 2020 Dubai, Viet Nam Pavilion will actively promote international collaboration, trade, investment and tourism through seminars, forums and B2B and B2C meetings. Viet Nam will also participate in international events at Expo 2020 Dubai such as ASEAN Day on December 13, 2021 and Francophonie Week (March 2022). Viet Nam is the only Asian country to take part in the virtual reality tour hosted by the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).
The most anticipated event is the Viet Nam National Day (December 30) when Viet Nam is in the spotlight with a series of activities including the Vietnamese flag raising ceremony, a parade, projection of the Vietnamese flag on the surface of Al Wasl Plaza’s dome, Vietnamese outdoor arts and fashion performance, a country business briefing and trade promotional event for investors and businesses, and the Vietnamese Film Week.