After the United Arab Emirates became the first country in the Middle East to host the World Expo, Saudi Arabia has made its very own bid to host the prestigious event. Saudi Arabia announced Riyadh’s bid for hosting the World Expo 2030 under the theme “The era of change: Leading the planet to a foresighted tomorrow”.
His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, says: “We live in an era of change, and we face an unprecedented need for humanity’s collective action. It is clear that the whole world, as a collective, needs to work together to foresee the future and address, with its brightest minds, the challenges and opportunities that emanate from this change. The 2030 World Expo in Riyadh will coincide with the culmination of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030“.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai tweeted his support and says: “We announce the support for the kingdom’s request, and we also announce that the knowledge and experience we gained during the seven years of preparing for Expo 2020 will be available to our brothers”.
The kingdom certainly doesn’t lack ambition, as it already has the second-largest pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai, and now aims to host the world-famous event itself. Created in 1851, the first-ever Expo was originally called the Great Exhibition and held in London, where it debuted, among other things, the UK’s first-ever paid for flushing toilets.
Today, Expo welcomes millions of visitors from around the world to discuss global matters and enjoy world-class entertainment including music, dance and art. Expo 2020 Dubai was delayed by one year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, while Expo 2030 is set to take place from October 1, 2030 to April 1, 2031.
In December, more information will be available about Saudi’s plans, as it will submit details to the BIE (the group in charge of World Expos) about its proposals. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.
