DUBAI — One year to go until Expo 2020 Dubai opens on Oct. 1, 2021, organizers are committed to convening the global community in a spirit of collaboration and innovation to build a strong, sustainable future for everyone. Releasing new images that show the advanced state of readiness across site, Expo 2020 is fully prepared to host a global celebration of humanity’s resilience, creativity, culture and innovation — a tribute to the resilience of humanity, its ability to innovate, and pursuit of optimism in the face of adversity. Reem Al Hashimy, UAE minister of state for international cooperation, director general of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, said: “Our leadership has spared no effort, guided us, and provided all resources to ensure that our World Expo will be a true expression of the UAE’s values, reflecting its ambition to build a better future for us, the region and the world – a future of which coming generations will be proud. “Our World Expo has a mission to inspire hope, and in the coming weeks we will begin to share new details and ideas about space, health and wellness, travel and connectivity and other subjects that sit at the heart of this Expo. We hope that people will join us to achieve our objectives to bring the world together and put humanity and the planet on the right path towards dignity for all. “As we mark a year to go until we open, I want to thank all those who work so hard and so passionately to deliver an exceptional Expo. From international participants, to government entities to the Expo tribe that has worked diligently and remained committed to bringing the event to fruition. The journey has been worth it, and in 365 days we will share our excitement and our passion with millions.” Progress on the Expo site has continued at pace, with more than 210 million work hours completed to date. Work in 2020 has focused on landscaping and fit-out of Expo-owned buildings, with the construction of Country Pavilions to be finalized by the end of the year. The first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region runs from Oct. 1, 2021 until March 31, 2022 and will bring together more than 190 countries to explore new ideas, form new connections and collectively tackle some of the greatest global challenges of our time. — SG