All you need to know about Dubai's Expo 2020 bid

Held every five years, the World Expo is a six-month-long event that serves as a key junction for global communities to share innovations, discuss international issues and look for ways to improve the standard of living for the world’s population.

Dubai will find out if it has won the bid to host the World Expo 2020 on November 27. Here's a look at the emirate's bid to be the first Middle-Eastern state to host the event.

MASTER PLAN

Dubai’s master plan for Expo 2020 is to create a platform for global communities to empower sustainability and innovation for the future. To facilitate this, the city has conceptualised state-of-the-art infrastructure that will host the millions of people expected to participate, build pavilions and visit.

The site for World Expo 2020 Dubai will be at the Dubai Trade Centre in the Jebel Ali area - a 438 hectare site equidistant from the centres of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, capable of producing enough solar power to cater for 50% of its power needs. The newly inaugurated airport Al Maktoum International is part of this massive complex.

“This 438-hectare site will be one of the largest ever used for a World Expo and will ensure an unforgettable experience for the event’s 25 million visitors, who will collectively make upwards of 33 million visits,” Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State and Managing Director of the Higher Committee for Hosting the 2020 World Expo in Dubai said.

THEME

The theme for Dubai's bid is 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future', which focuses on the importance of bringing global communities together.

Home to over 200 nationalities, the city is a global hub aiming to connect the world and the Expo 2020 won’t be any different.

Dubai seeks to create one of the biggest platforms for international communities to come together and explore creative developments worldwide. The Expo 2020 theme will commemorate three key issues: sustainability (lasting sources of energy and water), mobility (smart systems of logistics and transportation), and opportunities (new paths to economic development).

Another feature of the plan is Expo Live, an innovation and partnership program that will bring thought-leaders and creators to the forefront. The program includes workshops and events that will help find funding and facilitate partnerships for innovators from around the world.

CAMPAIGN

Dubai announced its official bid to host the World Expo 2020 in November 2011. In tune to the theme, Dubai’s bespoke campaign has showcased the city in its true essence.

The campaign has raised awareness of the city’s cultural presence to a large global audience. It also focused on Dubai’s master plan for infrastructure and solar energy.

Central to the campaign was also a short film entitled 'Ali's Film' that tells the story of Dubai from its pearl-diving roots to home of the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa. The film has won several accolades including the prestigious Silver Dolphin award at a festival in Cannes.

WHY IT MATTERS

If Dubai wins the bid to host World Expo, it will be the first time the event has been held in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region in its 150-year history.

The expo will attract 25 million visitors from around the globe and will create at least 270,000 new jobs mainly in real estate and hospitality.

Hosting the event will also further cement Dubai as a true global hub, establishing it as a leader in trade and tourism.

DUBAI'S BID IN NUMBERS

• 25 million - Number of visitors

• 270,000 - How many new jobs will be created

• 438 - Area in hectares

• $8.1bn (AED 30 billion) - How much it will cost

• 182 - Expected number of participating nations

• 167 - Number of member states of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions

• 6 - Number of bid premier partners Dubai Airports, Emirates Airline, Emirates NBD, Etisalat, DP World and Jumeirah Group.

BID SUPPORTERS

From top politicians to businessmen, several high-flying figures have voiced their support for Dubai's bid. Here's a look at who: