Canada successfully concludes its inclusive participation at Expo 2020 Dubai

The theme for Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai, “The Future in Mind” reflects on how to address emerging challenges and seize opportunities for innovation.

Visitors were welcomed by the Canada Pavilion to discover Canada as a destination to invest, do business, study, immigrate and visit.

The Canada pavilion's cultural programming held during Tolerance and Inclusion Week and the Te Aratini Festival of Indigenous & Tribal Ideas was led by Canada's National Arts Centre and included the participation of an all-Aboriginal delegation of artists, speakers, panelists, and cultural contributors.

Canada’s participation in Expo’s Knowledge & Learning Week in December 2021 put a spotlight on its innovative contributions to global education enhanced Canada's recognition as one of the top countries in the world for the quality of its education programs.

Canada's participation in events prominently featuring Canada’s priorities on girls’ education, especially in conflict and crisis, under the banner of “Together for Learning @RewirEd”, reflected education in emergencies, accelerating learning for out-of-school children, and gender-transformative education.

Canada’s theme “Women Inspiring Women” demonstrating leadership in the choices the diverse women and girls make in their day-to-day lives to contribute to the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres was commemorated on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2022) by the Commissioner-General for Canada at Expo 2020 Dubai, Marie-Geneviève Mounier, and Canada’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Marcy Grossman. 

“We are extremely proud of our participation at Expo 2020 Dubai where we focused on promoting Canada as an ideal place for education, immigration, business, investment, and tourism...will keep Canada in mind for decades to come,” said Mounier in a news release.

Led by the Governor-General of Canada, Mary Simon, Canada’s delegation to its National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai was also accompanied by Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business, and Economic Development during her visit to Expo 2020 Dubai.

"Canada’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai was an important platform to promote all that Canada has to offer, as well as support our SMEs...and in our plans to drive economic recovery... serving as a reminder to the world of the abundant opportunities Canada has for investors, immigrants, tourists, and students," said Mary Ng in a news release.

To mark its National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai,  Canada's Pavilion showcased a cultural and business program highlighting the economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties between Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the broader Middle East region.

On March 20, the Canada Pavilion joined the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, Expo 2020 Dubai, and the member pavilions of the Francophonie family, to mark the International Day of la Francophonie at Expo. This day was an opportunity to celebrate the French language, spoken by more than 320 million people on five continents, and to showcase the richness and diversity of Francophone cultures, including Canadian artists.

Canada’s National Day at Expo was rounded out with the UAE premiere of “Peace by Chocolate,” a Canadian film directed by Jonathan Keijser, and inspired by the true story of the Hadhad family.

Canadian exports and investment in Canada promoted by its commercial program, throughout the six months of Expo, was a key factor for Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to find meaningful opportunities for their global expansion in the UAE and the Middle East, and North Africa region.

Led by Global Affairs Canada, Canada’s participation was made possible through partnerships with organizations such as Invest in Canada - a signature sponsor - the National Arts Centre, the National Film Board, Parks Canada, Ingenium, and many others.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)