After months of preparations and a year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic the World Exhibition Expo 2020 in Dubai finally opened. For the first time hosted by an Arab country, it brought together representations from over 190 countries. Poland is one of them, attracting participants from around the world with creativity inspired by nature.
Poland’s presence at Expo has been coordinated by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) and its objective is to promote the domestic economy and business. But as the organizers stress, there is also a space to present the country’s tourist potential, culture and art. For the next 6 months, Poland will organize nearly 1,000 events and up to 2,500 Polish companies are expected to benefit from the economic program.
“I am truly glad to have been given the chance to present Poland in this part of the world, to show our economic potential, also on a regional level, as well as to present the variety of Polish culture and values. These are crucial factors that facilitate the further, stable development of our country and its economy,” says Jan Pawelec, Director of the Department for Trade and International Cooperation in the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.
The main theme of the Poland’s presence in Dubai is creativity expressed in the slogan: “Poland. Creativity inspired by nature.”
The pavilion and the exhibition were designed and developed by the WXCA studio, together with the Swiss studio Bellprat Partner. Over 2,000 square meters construction has a wooden facade and a very large kinetic sculpture, depicting a flock of birds. The concept was inspired by the fact that Poland is a key breeding ground for migratory birds due to the richness of wildlife, diversity of landscape and the strategic location in the center of Europe. As designers explain, inviting visitors to accompany this journey and observe the abundance of Polish avifauna is an opportunity to develop an intriguing, multi-layered story about the beauty of Polish nature, international exchange, mobility, export of ideas and technologies.
The final exhibition narrative, detailed concept and key experiences were created in collaboration between the design studios Science Now, Stellar Fireworks and Tellart, which enriched the exhibition with distinctive, interactive experiences (eg. The “Polish Table” art installation), immersive spaces (eg. the Landscapes of Creativity room) and the overall conveying of the multimedia message. The General Contractor of the Polish Pavilion was the Poznań International Fair (MTP) – FM Aldentro consortium.
“Today marks the spectacular beginning of a new narrative about Poland on the international arena. The Polish Pavilion, which is a true architectural masterpiece, which illustrates the power of Polish design and creativity, will offer visitors a chance to explore the story of Poland’s economic success, our culture and technology, our amazing natural environment, and above of all – our creativity and business acumen. It culminates 4 years of preparation and efforts by hundreds of people – extraordinary teams of project managers, creators, architects, engineers, artists and a number of institutional and commercial partners that worked with us,” said Adrian Malinowski, Commissioner General of the Polish Section of Expo 2020 in Dubai.
The Polish Pavilion will host important events from day one of the grand opening. The Podlaskie Region and the Ministry of Climate and Environment will inaugurate the regional program of temporary exhibitions.
A monumental painting by professor Leon Tarasewicz, one of the most significant contemporary Polish artists, is one of the main highlights of the “Xylopolis. City fuelled by nature” exhibition. The masterpiece is nearly 46 square meters in size and is the largest painting by the artist born in the Polish region of Podlasie. In his work, the artist alludes to both his local landscape and the theme for the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2020. The painting was exhibited in zone IV of the Polish Pavilion between 1 and 24 October 2021.
For the next six months, the Polish Pavilion will host numerous performances by actors, folk musicians and acrobats, there will also be various workshops for children and fashion shows. The Program of cultural and educational events will also consist of daily concerts of Chopin’s music, programming workshops, folk dancing classes and pottery painting.
During 182 days, Expo 2020 is expected to welcome 18 million guests who will pay a total of 25 million visits: from state delegations of top officials, business representatives, tourists to the local population. The theme of this edition of the World Exhibition is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. The organizers are focusing in particular on cooperation, as a remedy to the global pandemic crisis.
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PAIH | The Polish Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai is now open
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