The Ireland pavilion at Expo 2020 is celebrating St Patrick's Day on Thursday, March 17 with a mixture of culture, sport and business events for the country's national day.
The world's fair is hosting a special St Patrick's Day parade, led by the Irish Defence Forces Pipe Band and joined by the Irish community in the UAE.
The pavilion is teaming up with the Irish National Concert Hall to deliver a range of cultural performances for the day, including a specially curated concert by world-renowned Irish musician Martin Hayes at Al Wasl Plaza.
Music will also be the focus at the pavilion throughout the day, where the resident Expo Players will perform tracks from the Irish Songbook – a collection of 55 of the country's songs, 10 of which have been chosen for a special album that will be released on St Patrick's Day.
Al Wasl Plaza will also host a special 360-degree screening of Irish animation. Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon has created a special edit showing some of their Oscar-nominated films, including Wolfwalkers, The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea.
Irish sporting heroes are joining a special family fun day planned for Expo Sports Arena, while motivator Maeve Madden, founder of Queens Don’t Quit, will lead a fitness session where she hopes to gather the most nationalities taking part in one class.
The Irish Business Network has also hosted its annual St Patrick’s Day breakfast at the Expo, with a speech from Ireland's Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, who is also attending the flag-raising ceremony.
Al Wasl Plaza and Expo Sports Arena will be taking part in the 'global greening' initiative in which buildings across the world light up in green for the day.
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