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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, visited Alif – The Mobility Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The structure, which was designed by Fosters + Partners is one of the world fair's main landmarks.
Vice President and Ruler of Dubai
Named after the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, it symbolises the beginning of progress and new horizons.
During the tour, Sheikh Mohammed said mobility can accelerate our path into the future.
"Expo 2020 Dubai’s focus on mobility provides an opportunity to explore how new advances in transport and travel can accelerate mankind’s progress," Sheikh Mohammed said.
"Innovative forms of transport are not only helping strengthen ties between different societies but also widening our civilisational horizons and creating a better future for humanity."
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The exhibition inside Alif – The Mobility Pavilion also highlights innovations from the Arab region that have led to advances in exploration. -
Alif – The Mobility Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai was designed by British architects Foster + Partners. All photos: Expo 2020 Dubai -
Visitors will be taken on a virtual journey through time and space at Alif – The Mobility Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. -
The exhibition inside Alif – The Mobility Pavilion starts with an ancient settlement in the Dubai desert and ends with a glimpse of the future on Mars. -
Highlights include giant sculptures so detailed they look real, a huge elevating platform and features of the UAE’s space programme. -
Visitors will “discover the pivotal role played by the UAE and the Arab world in advancing global mobility through the centuries”, say organisers. This journey starts 4,500 years ago in Saruq Al Hadid, a settlement in the Dubai desert. -
The tour will then leap forward to the data-driven world of the 21st century, before moving on to the city of the future. -
Visitors will be given a glimpse of what to expect in the decades to come, including the UAE's space programme, and learn about the Hope Mars Mission. -
The tour inside Alif – The Mobility Pavilion was designed by Oscar-winning film creators. -
Stories from the past and glimpses of the future are used to explore the concept of mobility. -
The distinctive pavilion was designed by award-winning British architectural design and engineering firm Foster + Partners. -
The Astronaut and Emirates Mars Mission exhibition at Alif – The Mobility Pavilion. -
The Astronaut and Emirates Mars Mission exhibition. -
Even the lobby of Alif – The Mobility pavilion is impressive. -
Alif – the Mobility Pavilion aims to inspire visitors to believe that anything is possible, say organisers. -
The exterior of Alif – The Mobility Pavilion has highly polished stainless-steel cladding that reflects the movement of passers-by. -
Aerial view of Alif – The Mobility Pavilion. The site includes an amphitheatre, a second stage and a plaza, which will feature performances related to the theme of mobility, as well as events, symposia and demonstrations throughout the six-month world fair. Expo 2020 Dubai runs from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
During the tour, Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, chairman of Dubai Media Council; and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed.
Alif – The Mobility pavilion highlights the history of mobility in the region, taking visitors on an immersive journey through the spectrum of human movement and progress.
It seeks to challenge, surprise and inspire visitors by showing them how mobility is more than just transport, encompassing the mobility of people, data, ideas and our natural environment.
The Mobility Pavilion also highlights the key contributions made by Arabs throughout history, starting from ancient explorations to the UAE's Emirates Mars Mission and plans to explore Venus.
Sheikh Zayed also visited the House of Wisdom, located in the pavilion, which features historical figures from the Golden Age of Arab Civilisation.
Two particular individuals who made significant contributions in the field of mobility and travel were Ahmad bin Majid, a navigator and cartographer also known as the Lion of the Sea, and Ibn Battuta, the Muslim Berber Moroccan traveller who criss-crossed Asia, Africa and the Middle East, eventually covering nearly 120,000 kilometres.
