The World Expo, with its 170-year-long history, has become the birthplace of the world’s greatest inventions and iconic structures. It is often dubbed as the “world’s greatest show” and is held only every five years.
World Expo 2020 was originally scheduled for October 2020 to April 2021 but was postponed due to the pandemic. The six-month event finally opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on1 October 2021 and will run through 31 March 2022. With the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” World Expo 2020 aims to build partnerships and inspire ideas that will forge the world of tomorrow through three sub-themes: Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability.
The ASEAN Pavilion is in the World Expo 2020! The ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN centres and stakeholders collaborated to show the world how ASEAN cooperation shapes the Southeast Asian region and beyond. Adopting the theme of “Creating Opportunities for the People of ASEAN,” visitors to the Pavilion can learn more about ASEAN and its Member States.
Attracting visitors from around the world, the ASEAN Pavilion quickly gained popularity in the Expo through its interactive displays and engaging activities that highlight the region’s beautiful landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Children and adults alike enjoy building the ASEAN House Challenge and testing their knowledge about the region with the ASEAN Quiz.
The Wonders of ASEAN in 360 Virtual Reality also gives visitors the chance to travel virtually to the UNESCO Heritage Sites in ASEAN. Visiting the ASEAN Pavilion is their first encounter with ASEAN for many visitors. They truly appreciate learning more about ASEAN and its role in uniting countries in Southeast Asia to achieve common goals.
There may be travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic but the ASEAN Trail Challenge provides visitors with the chance to tour the ASEAN Member States within the Expo. To complete the challenge, visitors get a special passport to visit all ASEAN Member States’ Pavilions, immersing themselves in the stunning displays, visuals and interactive activities of each pavilion. . After visiting and receiving stamps from all 10 Member States’ Pavilions, visitors can return to win a prize in the ASEAN Pavilion. Says a visitor from India, “My favourites are the Virtual Reality and the ASEAN Trail Challenge. I can learn about ASEAN and get to know its Member States too. I hope to visit ASEAN countries in the future.”
ACTIVITIES IN THE ASEAN PAVILION
- ASEAN Trail Challenge
- Build ASEAN House Challenge
- ASEAN Quiz (The ASEAN Treasure)
- The Wonders of ASEAN in 360 Virtual Reality & Virtual ASEAN Gallery
- ASEAN Presents and The Best of ASEAN Performing Arts
