Dubai Expo 2020 to highlight gender equality in science during grand show

Global event will champion women in science, technology, engineering and maths

The Sustainability pavilion. The 130-metre wide canopy, called Terra, features 1,055 solar panels which will generate 4GWh of alternative energy per year, enough electricity to charge more than 900,000 mobile phones.

The Sustainability pavilion. It will offer visitors the chance to explore humankind’s relationship with nature, excessive consumerism, and how we can change our everyday choices to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact.

The Sustainability Pavilion. It features irrigation techniques such as a greywater recycling system, which aim to reduce water use by 75 per cent.

The Expo 2020 Mobility Pavilion features the world’s largest passenger lift, which will transport more than 160 people at a time. It also has a 340-metre track, which is partly underground and partly in the open-air, to showcase cutting-edge mobility devices in action.

The Expo 2020 Mobility Pavilion will also display a hyperloop capsule in action.

Organisers say the Expo 2020 Mobility Pavilion will showcase how mobility will continue to transform the way we live, connect with people, understand different cultures, and exchange knowledge and ideas.

Al Wasl Pavilion. Meaning ‘connection’ in English, Al Wasl is also the historical name for Dubai. The steel trellis is the centrepiece of the site, where all roads meet, and reflects the world fair’s aim to bring people together.

The Al Wasl pavillion. The moulded steel dome is 130-metres wide, 67-metres tall and weighs more than 500 tonnes. Taller than the leaning tower of Pisa and one of the largest single structures on the site, Al Wasl will be a permanent installation that will remain after the world fair ends in April 2021.

A rendering of Al Wasl pavillion. Fountains, parks and restaurants have also been planned across the plaza area.

Al Wasl pavillion. Al Wasl Plaza’s trellis design was inspired by an ancient golden ring found in the Saruq Al Hadid site by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. It also reflects the intertwined logo of the Expo 2020.

Dubai Exhibition Centre. It offers 45,000 square metres of event space. It is just 300m from the heart of the Expo site and is adjacent to the Dubai Metro Route Station 2020.

Dubai Exhibition Centre.The 28,000 sqm South Complex is divided into nine halls that can host 300 to 20,000 people, while the 17,000 sqm North Complex has five halls that can accoodate 200 to 11,000 people.

Dubai Exhibition Centre. It also has 24 meeting rooms and four suites for workshops, seminars and gala dinners.

Dubai Expo 2020 will bring together leading women in science who have broken gender stereotypes to share their success stories.

The goal is to raise awareness of gender equality in Stem fields – science, technology, engineering and maths – during the world fair, being held from October 1 to March 31.

The announcement was made on February 11 to commemorate International Day of Women and Girls in Science and the UAE's Mars mission, whose science team is 80 per cent female.

"To address the complex challenges of today, the world needs science, and science needs women and girls," said Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of the expo.

“By teaming up with these distinguished organisations, International Day of Women and Girls in Science will see Expo activate its programming to foster a deeper understanding of how women and girls can further be at the forefront of scientific and economic development.”

Women lead the way in the UAE space and science sector, but the field is male-dominated in other parts of the world.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid personally thank staff from mission control in Dubai after Hope probe's successful orbit entry on February 9. The National

A man celebrates at an event at Burj Park in Dubai to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

People celebrate at an event at Burj Park to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An event at Burj Park to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

People celebrate at an event at Burj Park to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guests arrive at the Burj Park event to mark the arrival of the Hope probe to Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A guest attending the Burj Park event to mark the arrival of the Hope probe to Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Burj Park was set up for people to watch the Hope probe attempt its Mars orbit insertion. Courtesy: UAE Government Twitter

UAE Mars Mission engineer, Hessa Al Matroushi, was interviewed at a Burj Park event to mark the arrival of the Hope probe to Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, attended the event at Burj Park to mark the arrival of the Hope probe to Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Engineer Hessa Al Matroushi attended the event at Burj Park to mark the arrival of the Hope probe to Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

TV crews get ready at an event at Burj Park in Dubai to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An event at Dubai's Burj Park to celebrate the Hope probe's Mars orbit insertion attempt. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guests arrive at an event at Burj Park to mark the Hope probe's Mars orbit insertion attempt. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guests and media arrive at an event at Burj Park to witness Hope probe's Mars orbit insertion attempt. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guests arrive at an event at Burj Park to mark the Hope probe's Mars orbit insertion attempt. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guests arrive at an event at Burj Park to mark the Hope probe's Mars orbit insertion attempt. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guests arrive at an event at Burj Park to mark the Hope probe's Mars orbit insertion attempt. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Burj Khalifa lights up at an event at Burj Park in Dubai to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The UAE Flag area on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi lights up in red to celebrate the success of the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Victor Besa / The National

The ADNOC Headquarters lights up in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the success of the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Victor Besa / The National

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed celebrates with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at an event at Burj Park in Dubai to celebrate the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

People celebrate at an event at Burj Park in Dubai to mark the Hope probe going into orbit around Mars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The World Economic Forum reported in 2019 that 83 per cent of scientists and engineers in Europe are male. Globally, 72 per cent of scientific researchers are men.

The Dubai Expo is collaborating with the UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and other UN offices to create discussion around the challenges faced by women in these fields.

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, said the Emirates Mars Mission had "set an unprecedented standard" for the inclusion of women.

Women made up 34 per cent of the mission and 80 per cent of its science team.

“From our homes, to our communities and workplaces, women’s daily extraordinary contributions are crucial and cannot be overlooked," Ms Al Amiri said.

“In fact, the Emirates understands that the inclusion of women and their celebration throughout industry and society is a necessary function of our way of life, without which, our economy would fail, and our communities would collapse.

“The UAE is a global outlier in its commitment to enabling women to rise to positions of leadership. The success of our model crafts a new standard for our regional and global partners to emulate. Our continued investment in women’s education and the recognition of their growing contributions in all areas of government is vital to the future of our prosperity.”