Expo 2020 Dubai postponed to next year

The 12-month postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai has been formally ratified by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) at its general assembly.
The World Expo awarding body announced that it had already received the two-thirds majority required form its 170 member states.
At its assembly in Paris, the BIE said the new dates of Expo 2020 Dubai have officially changed to October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
It added that the six-month event will keep the name ‘Expo 2020 Dubai’.
The postponement came as a result of a request from the UAE government to change the dates following a meeting of the Expo 2020 Dubai Steering Committee, in which participating countries expressed their need to postpone the event in order to focus in the imminent challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The request then went through BIE’s formal procedures, which included examination by its own executive committee and a subsequent voting process.
“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,” said Dimitri Kerkentzes, the Secretary General of the BIE.
“The difficulties raised by the Covid-19 pandemic illustrate the importance of sharing solutions and co-ordinating our actions.”
He added, “The world is now more than ever looking forward to Expo 2020 Dubai to connect, reflect and celebrate the future