President Isaac Herzog and the First Lady open Israel’s national day at Expo 2020 Dubai (Amos Ben-Gershom GPO)
Expo 2020 Dubai saw Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog open the Israel national day on Monday. The President and First Lady are in the middle of a historic trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which has already seen the Israeli national anthem played by the state band at the royal palace in Dubai, which also flew Israeli flags, and where they were greeted by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, the start of Expo 2020 Dubai was postponed from October 2020. The World Expo is hosted every five years in a different country, in a location selected by a vote at the Bureau International des Expositions. This year, the United Arab Emirates is hosting the World Expo, the first time that the global event has been held in the Middle East.
Each country at the World Expo presents its own pavilion, in which it may present major elements of its own culture, history, and progress, as well as its vision for the future. The Israeli pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has attracted visits from local officials, and heads of state and ministers from around the world. To date, over 600,000 people have visited the pavilion.
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Launching Israel’s national day, the President delivered a speech in which he welcomed what he called an exciting opportunity to what he described as a beautiful land. “Expo 2020 Dubai is a huge achievement for all of you,” he said, “and also a huge achievement for Dubai itself and the brave leaders of this country, whom I have had the privilege of meeting. It is a remarkable celebration of each nation’s unique identity. It is also a reminder of what can be accomplished when we work together to break down borders by connecting minds and imagining a different future.”
“As the President of the State of Israel I am proud of Israel’s contribution to the vision of a common future, as we have seen on display over the past several months here and in Israel, where I had the honour to inaugurate the UAE embassy in Tel Aviv,” he added. “Part of the novelty of the UAE is the combination of an innovative spirit and forward-thinking approach, with deep respect for the glorious Muslim tradition. We, the people of Israel, as children of the same Abraham, share your high regard for religious faith bound with ingenuity. We admire the course you have charted. Friends, I hope, and I believe, that more and more nations will soon follow the UAE’s lead and join the Abraham Accords.”
President Isaac Herzog and the First Lady with the Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Photo by Amos Ben-Gershom GPO)
The President concluded by saying that the State of Israel is eager to walk with the UAE, and all the nations that are participating in the Expo 2020 Dubai towards “a brighter, more sustainable and more peaceful tomorrow, for our nations, our region and the entire world.”
Speaking before the President, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence of UAE and Commissioner-General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “Israel has much to offer on our global platform. And so we are pleased to have you at this engagement with us.
The Sheikh also said that Expo 2020 Dubai is an opportunity to promote peaceful coexistence between nations. “We are proud to host the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region and of our warm Emirati welcome to the whole world,” he commented. “The participation of 192 countries is a testament to the UAE’s efforts to bring the world together into one unified platform in a bid to build bridges, engage in constructive dialogue, and develop sustainable solutions to modern-day challenges. We strongly believe that what unites humanity far outweighs what divides it.”
After visiting the Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions, President Herzog met the Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
In their meeting, the two leaders discussed various issues, including deepening collaboration in the fields of trade, innovation, tourism, and investment. They also discussed the special common history of Israel and the UAE.
