As Expo 2025 Osaka prepares to open its doors on Sunday, it marks a moment of celebration and opportunity, building on Japan's proud legacy of hosting World Expos and major international events such as the 1970 and 2005 World Expos and the 2021 Olympic Games.
Such mega-events can significantly drive economic growth and infrastructure development of host cities. Their impact on local businesses and long-term development is undeniable. Expos are also deeply human experiences. They create emotional connections that help people understand one another’s cultures, spark curiosity and promote meaningful dialogue. As the 2025 World Expo unfolds during a time of global geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty, its role in fostering shared purpose and cross-cultural exchange has never been more vital.
Expo 2025 Osaka, under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, aims to harness global wisdom to create and communicate new ideas and breakthrough technologies. Physically, organisers have taken that to their core, with a two-kilometre long cedarwood “Grand Ring” – the world’s largest timber structure – symbolising diversity and unity. This central feature invites visitors to look through the ring to the same sky, fostering a sense of shared humanity.
This spirit of connection was also at the heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, where the iconic three-petal design and central Al Wasl Plaza (whose name means “connection” in Arabic) brought together innovators, entrepreneurs and thought leaders from around the world. That central Expo 2020 mission, epitomised in the theme of “Connecting minds, creating the future”, continues to shape the growth of Expo City Dubai today.
More than a physical legacy, Expo City Dubai is a model for a sustainable, innovation-led future. It links Dubai Exhibition Centre, Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port, with a dedicated metro station and a network of highways that connect Dubai to Abu Dhabi and beyond, and easy access to international airports to enable two thirds of the world’s population to reach the UAE within eight hours.
Repurposed Expo infrastructure, including former country pavilions, are now being transformed into apartments, offices, retail and food and beverage outlets, with plans to eventually welcome 35,000 residents and 40,000 professionals.
This physical infrastructure of the city is the bones of our society – the skeleton, or framework, that supports us. But it is the people – the visitors, students, residents, businesses and governments – who are its lifeblood. Their collaboration and ideas are the driving forces behind societal progress. This is what bands Expo 2025 and Expo 2020 together, and it is where all mega-events, including World Expos, global climate conferences and international cultural gatherings, can have tremendous impact.
Japan’s first World Expo in Osaka in 1970 marked the nation’s rapid economic transformation and was a symbolic moment for the UAE – a nation not yet born. Represented by the Abu Dhabi Pavilion, its presence was a huge symbol of confidence in the future and a significant sign from UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that the country he was building was ready to join the community of nations.
Fifty years later, the UAE became the first nation in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia to host a World Expo. An incredible milestone in our young nation’s journey, Expo 2020 Dubai was widely regarded as a triumph – an example of collaboration and inclusivity and an unforgettable celebratory experience.
While it added billions of dollars to the UAE economy, it also cemented the UAE’s reputation as a safe, hospitable nation, a global convener that welcomed leaders, businesses and visitors – more than 24 million of them – from around the world, while safely and successfully navigating a global health emergency.
It raised the bar in several sectors, including sustainability, developing guidelines to maximise the sustainability of preparing for, operating and decommissioning any events hosted on site – guidelines that continue to be adopted by third parties today.
Its impact extended well beyond the economics to enhance the UAE’s global standing, with Expo 2020 cited as the biggest factor in the UAE’s five place jump – into the top 10 – in the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2023.
And it endures. The partnerships forged during Expo 2020 continue to bear fruit, as businesses from around the world establish themselves in the city. We continue to change perceptions, enrich knowledge and cultural exchange through ongoing initiatives, including the Expo School Programme and the Expo City Dubai Foundation, which serves as a catalyst for progress, connecting people, ideas and resources to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.
In short, the World Expo legacy lives on – here in the UAE through Expo City Dubai, and in Japan at Expo 2025 Osaka, where the UAE Pavilion invites the world to collaborate and engage with its bold vision of collective progress.
In these turbulent times, the power of World Expos to unite people and drive positive change is more important than ever. These global gatherings are a reminder that, no matter the challenges we face, the future is shaped by collaboration, innovation and shared vision.
