Canada - Expo 2020 Dubai
Canada's theme for Expo 2020, Future in Mind, serves as a platform to promote opportunities in Canada's provinces, territories and cities and in all sectors of society. It will highlight Canada's leadership in key sectors, including, but not limited to, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, education, digitization, telemedicine, clean technologies, agriculture, health sciences, aerospace, and more. Canada's approach to Expo 2020 in Dubai builds on its unwavering commitment to embrace diversity, inclusion, human rights and gender equality as the foundation for building a prosperous and inclusive nation, capable and willing to provide solutions to global challenges.
The contract to design, build and operate the Canada Pavilion and public display at Expo 2020 Dubai was awarded to EllisDon Construction.
The design of the Canada Pavilion has many inspirations, such as the multi-faceted Canadian identity. Celebrating Canada's diversity, the use of geometric latticework is an international cultural reference to the Mashrabiya, an element of Arabic architecture. The wooden structure is also an architectural reproduction of the great Canadian landscape.
The Canada Pavilion is a symbolic representation of collaboration between countries. The circular shape of the pavilion is a universal symbol of unity, evoking the relationship that humans have with each other and with the earth.
The gross area of the Canada Pavilion is 1,370 square metres. The Pavilion is composed of three main spaces: the public presentation area, the dignitary area, and an administrative and support area.
Canada is defined by its diversity, which manifests itself in the cultural, regional and economic pluralism intrinsic to the experiences of Canadians and their vision of nationhood. This diversity is what naturally positions Canada as a leader and innovative collaborator in addressing the global challenges of our time. Visitors to the Canada Pavilion are invited to discover this perspective of openness and these stories of innovation through an immersive journey of artistic expression.
Outside, visitors' eyes will be drawn to the amber glow of luminous fossils. Eight habitable boxes, scattered along the pavilion's access corridor, will house these remnants of a possible future. Visitors will be able to explore and interact with this powerful art installation that evokes a poetic vision of an uncertain future. A thought-provoking experience about our present, which will challenge visitors about the value of a necessary dialogue between humans and nature.
Inside, the journey continues in a 360-degree theatrical experience through Canada's four seasons, inspired by the vast Canadian landscape - an artistic expression of Canada's natural diversity - combining celebration, abundance, reflection, observation, healing, hope and energy that together tell Canada's story and demonstrate the ability of Canadians to creatively solve problems in partnership with the international community. The journey highlights the connections between Canada's natural beauty and resources, the power of the traditional knowledge of its Aboriginal peoples and the diversity and dynamism of Canada's urban centres, which are engines of creativity, innovation and prosperity.
The Canada Pavilion is being reinterpreted online as an innovative, emotional, poetic and immersive odyssey that will allow visitors from around the world - using state-of-the-art technology - to navigate a site that mirrors the distinctive elements of the on-site visit, creating a unique virtual experience. Visitors to Dubai will also find information that will enrich their visit.
In other sections of the virtual pavilion, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about Canada's incredible business, investment, education, immigration and tourism opportunities in an entertaining and interactive way.