Pavilion presents UAE’s development story to world
The UAE has combined eye-catching entertainment with an informative narrative to produce videos that reveal the deep connections the Emirati people have with the world’s seas and oceans.
Participating in Expo 2012 Yeosu is additional to UAE pavilions seen at previous fairs in Hanover, Lisbon, Seville, Syracuse and Shanghai.
Supervised and organized by the National Media Council (NMC), the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu is arranged into five key areas: The exterior facade featuring a “timeline” and a special greeting, the “pre-show” featuring many interactive presentations, games and documentaries, a “sea tunnel,” a themed theater screening a mini-feature film and the “post-show.”
The UAE Pavilion proved to be one of the most popular venues. Large queues quickly gathered outside the innovative facade of the building, complete with its graphic “time-line” illustrating key stages in the nation’s development. Video screens showing school children from the UAE displaying their fluency in Korean welcomed visitors.
This international EXPO in South Korea, under the aegis of BIE, which is headquartered in Paris and responsible for managing the organization of World Expos, has chosen ‘Living Ocean and Coast’ as its theme and the UAE Pavilion has closely followed that lead.
Korean visitors gave a spontaneous applause to the “The Turtle,” the feature film in the UAE’s Pavilion.
Unaware that they were attending a “world premiere,” people were nevertheless moved by the message of the film and inspired by the strong performance of an impressive young Emirati actor, Ahmed Al Daheri, who previously featured in the UAE Pavilion at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai.
In this short but very powerful film, Al Daheri discovers that you can’t always make things right but you can always try!
After the death of a turtle that swallowed a plastic bag he is devastated, and dreams of an ocean free of plastic pollution. Rallying his friends around him, he goes to shopping malls and other venues, persuading people to use recyclable bags. His message falls on fertile ground . . . and fiction morphs into fact!
The Turtle will entertain thousands and will, hopefully, inspire many young people to follow their dreams.
Organizers say that the UAE Pavilion presents the UAE success story in terms of the management and protection of marine environment and ecosystems.
They add that engagement in such a prominent international gathering of nations doesn’t only offer entertainment and knowledge but also urges and implores visitors as well as involves the corporate sector to play a proactive role to ensure future generations through their commitment to better understanding, conserving and developing the marine environment.
Abdullah Al Aidarous, deputy commissioner general of the UAE Pavilion, said the message of the biennial world expo in Korea is to focus the attention of the international family on oceans, seas and coastal areas.
”Given the fact that oceans occupy about four-fifths of our planet’s surface, we need to think more in terms of Planet Ocean rather than Planet Earth,” he added.
He indicated that the participation of the UAE in this Expo demonstrates the tremendous pioneering efforts the nation is contributing to the protection and conservation of oceans.
“The UAE is keen to use the event, both as an opportunity to showcase the country’s heritage and achievements within the marine-related sphere and as a platform to share with other countries the UAE’s experience with preserving coastal environments in a rapidly developing setting,” he said.
“Entertainment is the essential means with which to engage people with our message,” stated Al Aidarous. “We want our visitors to have fun but we also want them to know that we are serious about supporting the EXPO’s call to maintain the health of our oceans and coastline.”
The UAE’s marine-related economy, encompassing fishing, trade, tourism and leisure, accounts for a significant portion of the nation’s GDP.
Archaeological evidence confirms that for millennia, the sea provided a corridor for wide-ranging cultural communications and trade, together with essential food supplies and valuable commodities such as pearls.
The pattern of human settlement in the land now occupied by the UAE has been one in which the coast has been of prime importance with nearly all the country s cities situated along the seaboard.
The UAE Pavilion will entertain visitors in an engaging manner whilst informing them of some of the major issues that have been overcome, and how these were tackled.
State-of-the-art interactive displays will present short movies on key subjects of natural interest, such as sharks, turtles, coral reefs, fisheries, mangroves and dugongs.
Meanwhile a special six-minute film will take visitors on a quick tour of some broader topics as seen through Emirati eyes, including six new movie-chapters titled: Celebrating Marine Life ; A Living from the Sea; Connecting the World ; Energy for the Future ; Enjoying the Sea and Open to the World .
The NMC said filming for these and other contents at the UAE Pavilion began in early January 2012 in cooperation with key organizations such as the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi; Emirates Marine Environmental Group; Jumeirah Hotel Group; Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority; Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC); Abu Dhabi Police Helicopter Wing and others.
A love for the sea is a core characteristic of Emiratis.
Their maritime activities of sailing, navigation, trading, fishing and pearl-diving are just as important as their better known links to deserts, camels, falcons and horses.
The UAE has won the membership of the higher steering committee of the International Exposition Yeosu Korea 2012 (Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea), becoming the only Arab and Muslim country to have such an honor.
Winning membership of this committee furthers the prominent stature the UAE enjoys at Expo events and reflects the success of the UAE Pavilion which was last seen at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai in China.
Its seat on the steering committee which was announced in Seoul at a meeting of commissioner generals added to the series of successes made by the National Media Council at the previous World Expo.
”Participation in this exposition backs joint efforts by the UAE and South Korea to promote inter-cultural exchange between the two peoples and promote each other’s culture, heritage and other achievements made throughout the past three decades, the NMC said.
The UAE will continue to participate in the World Expositions in order to achieve more and take further opportunities to showcase the UAE’s significant progress in various spheres, attract more tourists, businesses and investments and to expand friendship and relations with the rest of the world.
Visitors can enjoy quality exhibitions and interesting curiosities from the ocean because Yeosu attracts ocean treasures from more than 100 countries and nine international organizations.
Why UAE Pavilion is worth a visit
Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Abdulla Al-Romaithi contributed this article on the occasion of Day of UAE at the Yeosu Expo which falls today. – ED.
At the outset, I would like to congratulate the Korean government and the Korean people for successfully organizing and hosting the Expo 2012 Yeosu. The Expo is creating another platform for the Republic of Korea to continue its role as a global player.
As the main theme of the Expo 2012 Yeosu, the sea is rooted in the United Arab Emirates generation after generation. It has been used from long time go for sailing and trading, fishing and pearl-diving.
The UAE has special interest in its participation in this year's Expo. The Expo availed the UAE with the venue to highlight its engagement with the sea in its journey to development.
The UAE pavilion also presents the country's efforts to protect the sea and coasts from pollution and waste, as part of the endeavors aimed at coping with climate change and global warming that harm the natural life in the sea and oceans. It showcases the UAE's successful story in management and sustainable development of marine life and environment for future generations.
By participating in this Expo, the UAE also wants to share with other nations its experience in dealing with the seas and coasts.