The Finland Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai was officially inaugurated by Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs, Finland; Severi Keinälä, Commissioner General of Finland at Expo 2020 Dubai and Marianne Nissilä, Finnish Ambassador to the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain on October 5, 2021.
The pavilion, which officially opened its doors to welcome visitors on October 1, takes visitors on an interactive journey through the societal pillars upon which Finland’s happiness is based: continuous development and innovation, sustainable and environmentally-friendly solutions and extensive international cooperation. Under the central theme of Sharing Future Happiness, guests will be introduced to how Finland is pioneering sustainable change, developing digital innovations, and adopting a circular economy model within businesses and society to help alleviate the current strain on the earth’s carrying capacity.
Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs, Finland commented on the importance of Expo 2020 Dubai for Finland’s bilateral relationship with the UAE: “The UAE is Finland’s second-biggest export country in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia. Expo 2020 Dubai provides a vital platform for Finland and our 120 partner companies, enabling us to strengthen our shared goals in areas such as sustainability, education, digitalisaton and happiness. Together with the UAE and the global business community, we aim to co-create and innovate agile, sustainable, and smart solutions for future business opportunities and societal development.”
Within the exhibition, there is something for every type of visitor to experience. Visitors can immerse themselves in the digital wonders of Finland and experience Finland’s calm nature in the Gorge. Guests are invited to interact with the KONE DX Class elevator and learn about successful people flow. Participating companies will also provide insights into how the future of sustainable energy production lies in the air we breathe utilizing Power-to-X advances, which are demonstrated using a machine that converts air into the power required to brew coffee. Visitors can also dive into the technology behind the Nokia and Luxturrim 5G Ecosystem smart pole and will be shown how the success of a smart city lies in a collaborative digital infrastructure. The Missing Links interactive art installation shows guests what they can do as global citizens to contribute to a greener world.
Upcoming events in the Finland pavilion include Finland’s national day celebrations on October 31, a visit from Lapland’s Santa Claus in December, and celebrating Finnish happiness on World Happiness Day in March 2022.
