Saudi Arabia's Expo 2020 pavilion reached the milestone of 500,000 visitors at the weekend – an average of one in three of all who have been to the world's fair so far.
Organisers hosted a traditional Ardah dance in front of the pavilion to mark the achievement.
Second in size only to the UAE pavilion, the kingdom's 13,000-square-metre structure has been one of the most popular at Expo since it opened on October 1.
The striking pavilion soars five storeys high and is spread over an area the size of two football fields.
Created to resemble a giant window, organisers said the pavilion was designed to offer viewers a glimpse of Saudi Arabia’s future.
After the recent announcement that Saudi Arabia is bidding to host Expo 2030 in its capital city of Riyadh, the pavilion could be seen as a snapshot of what visitors could expect in nine years' time, should the kingdom be successful against the four other bid cities.
The Saudi Arabia pavilion holds three Guinness World Records.
Visitors are welcomed by the largest LED mirror screen display in the world, the world's largest interactive floor, featuring 8,000 LED lights that move with you as you walk across it, and the world's longest interactive water feature, of more than 32 metres in length.
The structure also features an art installation of 2,030 sparkling crystals, suspended over an escalator to resemble a window opening to the sky.
“We want people to see what makes our country unique, to see a never-before-seen Saudi Arabia, where they can experience and explore a nation undergoing rapid transformation," said Hussain Hanbazazah, commissioner general of Saudi Arabia.
“We want to convey our rich history, on which we will build our future while encouraging visitors from around the world to explore the natural wonders of Saudi Arabia.”
Smart technology is employed throughout the pavilion, with digital displays taking visitors through the country’s latest projects, including the Red Sea tourism plans, the smart city Neom and the entertainment city Qiddiya.
Entertainment has also been a major part of the kingdom's programme at Expo, with daily shows at the pavilion's large performance area.
On weekends, the pavilion hosts a family theatre show at the Earth Stage, which is a specially commissioned show that combines music, songs, puppetry, audience participation and digital screen content.
This month, it hosted a 90-minute Saudi Variety Show at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre, which will return on November 19 and December 30, with three dates scheduled for 2022.
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
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SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
