BIE General Assembly officially approves Expo 2020 Dubai date change
The General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) has approved the one-year postponement of Expo Dubai 2020. As a result, the dates of Expo 2020 Dubai have officially changed to 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022. The event will keep the name “Expo 2020 Dubai”.
The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) requested a change in dates of Expo 2020 Dubai following a meeting of the Expo 2020 Dubai Steering Committee in which participating countries expressed their need to postpone the Expo’s opening in order to overcome the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In line with BIE regulations, the request was examined by the Executive Committee of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which on 21 April proposed the postponement to the General Assembly of the BIE. In accordance with the BIE Convention, the change in dates required a two-thirds majority vote of Member States for the change of dates to take effect.
Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, the Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), stated: “I welcome this resounding expression of support shown by the international community to postpone Expo 2020 Dubai. While this situation is unprecedented, the response by the Government of the UAE and by our Member States demonstrates the strong bonds that tie us and the shared commitment we have to delivering a truly inclusive World Expo. Read more HERE
Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)
The BIE is the Intergovernmental Organisation in charge of overseeing and regulating all international exhibitions that last more than three weeks and are of non commercial nature (“Expos”). Today, 4 main types of Expos are organised under its auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.
From the 31 countries that created the BIE in 1928, the Organisation has grown to 170 Member States, as a result of the success and the appeal of Expos. The BIE Member States take part in all the decisions of the BIE and they strive to continually improve the quality of Expos. The headquarters of the BIE are located in Paris.
Source: BIE
