Ahead of Greek Independence Day on 25 March, Greece celebrated its Expo 2020 Dubai National Day on Tuesday, 22 March, 2022 with a packed programme filled with moving music and a message of peace.
His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai, welcomed His Excellency Panagiotis Pikrammenos, Deputy Prime Minister of The Hellenic Republic.
HE Sheikh Nahayan said: “Greece’s participation represents its strong commitment to fair and sustainable development, inviting its visitors to discover the country’s approach to the free movement of ideas, goods and people. The pavilion also highlights the power of technology and innovation in shaping the future.
“We are proud to share consistently solid ties with Greece that have witnessed significant growth across the political, economic and cultural spheres since the establishment of diplomatic relations in the early 1970s. We are also keen to explore new horizons of cooperation between our two countries, particularly in fields of shared priority such as aviation, tourism and energy.”
HE Pikrammenos said: “The central message of our participation, ‘Greece Tomorrow, Today’, encompasses Greece’s vision to lead the way into the future in a spirit of cooperation and coordination and a vision of peace and sustainability.
“Expo 2020’s subthemes, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, have become even more relevant as inter-connectivity and advanced technology have come to the forefront of our current way of life after the serious disruptions caused by the pandemic. At the same time, sustainability has become all the more significant for the post-pandemic recovery. These values are all strongly represented by the Greece Pavilion, which embodies the concept of continuous progress and making the best of existing prospects and potential.
“In recent years, Greece and the UAE have forged a strong and strategic partnership, based on our common vision for a peaceful and prosperous development in out greater neighbourhood and on our steadfast adherence to the principles of international law.”
Attendees then enjoyed a mesmerising performance from the Mikis Theodorakis Orchestra with “metasymphonic music”, which mixes symphonic elements with well-known songs, western symphonic orchestra and popular Greek instruments.
Founded in May 1997 by musicians who had played with legendary Greek composer and political activist Mikis Theodorakis, who died last year, the orchestra has gone on to perform a succession of successful concerts, both in Greece and abroad.
On Tuesday evening, the orchestra will performance the best of Greek music at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre, joined by musicians including Dimitris Mpasis, Panagiotis Petrakis and Saveria Margiola.
Following a tour of the Greece Pavilion, HE Pikrammenos congratulated Expo 2020 and all it had achieved, while thanking Expo for highlighting Greece’s innovation in the fields of technology, business, trade and shipping.
The Greece Pavilion, based in the Sustainability District, takes visitors on a creative journey with digitally designed activation areas and augmented reality, to explore significant pillars of Greek present and future. Visitors are invited to discover the tastes and smells of Greek agriculture and cooking, and find out more about Ariadne’s thread – a means of problem solving inspired by Greek mythology.
National and Honour Days at Expo 2020 Dubai are moments to celebrate each of Expo’s 200-plus International Participants, shining a light on their culture and achievements and showcasing their pavilions and programming.
Running until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai invites visitors from across the planet to join the making of a new world in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.
