Expo 2020 catalyzes the change with its Programme for People and Planet

Expo 2020 Dubai has released its Programme for People and Planet, an unprecedented calendar of events, experiences, thought leadership, and public discussions aimed at finding answers to some of the world’s most critical issues.

The Programme for People and Planet, created with and for the global community, will use the linking potential of World Expos to catalyze a legacy of revolutionary change.

 The People and Planet Programme will span the entire six months of Expo 2020, anchored by ten Theme Weeks and 18 International Days, each of which will investigate significant global challenges. Participants will research solutions to critical global concerns such as climate change, biodiversity loss, making human habitats more sustainable, bridging the digital gap, and providing equal access to education and healthcare through the Theme Weeks.

 The schedule will include around 220 activities, ranging from big forums and public conventions to lectures and workshops. The World Majlis series, Expo 2020’s trademark platform for linking minds, will play a key role, with 53 different sessions intended to engage visitors over the six months.

The Programme for People and Planet will bring together an unprecedented array of perspectives, fostering exchanges of impactful ideas between leading experts (including wildlife advocate Dame Jane Goodall, Eden Project founder Sir Tim Smit, and Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technology) underpinned by the themes of technology and innovation, youth and women and girls’ empowerment.

 The program will demonstrate that every one of Expo 2020’s partners, participants, and visitors, whether physically present at Expo or participating remotely via virtual and digital channels, can – and must – become an agent of change, unlocking bold aspirations to shape a healthier, safer, cleaner, and more equitable future for all.

Nadia Verjee, Chief of Staff, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Sitting at the heart of our World Expo, and taking place at the moment in time that could not be more urgent or reasonable, the Programme for People and Planet is the manifestation of our theme and purpose, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating The Future. It will not only form an essential part of our event-time activities. Still, it will also catalyze a one-of-a-kind movement to shape the legacy that Expo 2020 leaves the world long after we close our doors, resulting in a meaningful and measurable impact for generations to come.”

 The Programme for People and World represents the challenges and opportunities that face all 7.8 billion people on this planet, not just today’s decision-makers. Five tracks weave their way through the program, creating a rich tapestry of fascinating events that look at the 10 Theme Weeks from different perspectives:

 Build Bridges, the Expo’s cultural track, will break down barriers by utilizing the power of storytelling, art, and music to promote intercultural communication and information exchange.

Leave No One Behind, the Expo’s social-development track, will emphasize the need for equal opportunity for all, posing the question, “What can we do now to create a more equitable tomorrow?” This track will also pay special attention to gender equality and marginalized populations in the last mile.

Climate change is the greatest serious threat to our world, and the decisions we make now will impact the environment that future generations inherit. The Live in Balance track will look at how the international community can work together to restore the planet’s balance.

The Thrive Together track focuses on practical business prospects during a period of global economic transition. Expo 2020 will be centered on the potential of stable and robust growth, as well as profitable relationships.

The UAE’s Founding Fathers envisioned a bold future for their citizens fifty years ago. The sixth track, Vision 2071, is about the future and how anything is possible if the global community works together.

Visitors at Expo 2020 will embark on a customized Visitor Journey to learn more about the subjects covered in the Programme for People and Planet. These self-guided tours, which will be available on the Expo 2020 app and will be aligned with the 10 Theme Weeks, will allow visitors to discover the various ways in which governments, businesses, and other organizations are reacting to the key challenges we face as a global community. 

Expo 2020 will bring the world together from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, coinciding with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee. It will create an open, global debate that looks to the future and addresses some of the most serious challenges confronting our world today. Millions of visitors from all over the world will be asked to participate in creating a new world, learning how to assure a fair and inclusive future for all, and forming a worldwide movement that will leave a positive legacy.