Baden-Württemberg House:

Why does Baden-Württemberg have its own pavilion?

Being the only region among more than 190 nations at Expo 2020 Dubai is an outstanding opportunity and a milestone for our federal state's global presence. Baden-Württemberg has seized this opportunity in order to strengthen its innovative image, raise its profile and consolidate its international reputation as a hub for business and science. This is not only of benefit to business and science in the region, but also to Baden-Württemberg's cultural scene and tourism. And of course to the people of our federal state.

 

What can visitors to the Baden-Württemberg House expect?

The pavilion boasts an exciting exhibition with numerous innovations and pioneering projects from Baden-Württemberg. An augmented-reality app allows visitors to interact with individual exhibits to learn more about Baden-Württemberg. The exhibition can be visited and experienced both on site and from the comfort of your sofa at home (thanks to the digital twin of the exhibition). A varied cultural program with fascinating performances, including dance, music, juggling and magic, as well as cooking and fashion shows and film screenings, is just as much a part of the pavilion as a wide range of culinary delights from Baden-Württemberg.

 

How much sustainability is there in the Baden-Württemberg House?

Sustainability is a top priority of the Baden-Württemberg House. The pavilion is a so-called timber hybrid building: The use of wood, especially for the facade, saved 200 tons of CO2₂ compared to steel. Moreover, the pavilion's entire air-conditioning needs are met through solar energy generated by more than 500 panels on the pavilion's roof, whereas for heat recovery, geothermal heat exchangers are used. Sustainability also plays a key role when it comes to lighting, where the pavilion relies on energy-efficient solutions. And – last, but not least – around 50 percent of the exhibition content deals with sustainability topics.

 

Why is Baden-Württemberg's presence at Expo 2020 Dubai a meaningful project?

Expo 2020 Dubai is a unique opportunity for our federal state to present Baden-Württemberg (as the only region among more than 190 nations) to a broad, international audience, to raise awareness of the federal state as a hub for innovation and to attract tourists and skilled workers.

Apart from promoting the image of our business location and strengthening our international reputation, the Baden-Württemberg House also provides a unique platform for our companies to showcase our federal state's economic innovativeness, strength and creativity. The companies from Baden-Württemberg that sponsor the pavilion and those that use the building's infrastructure, e.g. for events, are given the opportunity to present themselves under the federal state's flag and thus also benefit from the federal state's standing.

 

What successes can Baden-Württemberg House already point to?
One thing is already certain: The Baden-Württemberg House succeeds in drawing attention to the federal state. High visitor numbers are impressive proof of this. As the only region among more than 190 nations, Baden-Württemberg arouses the curiosity of visitors, raises awareness of the numerous hidden champions from the region and ensures that the federal state, which was previously unknown to many, sticks in the mind of visitors. What’s more, numerous delegations from Germany and abroad have already visited or will be visiting the pavilion, which further increases the level of awareness of Baden-Württemberg. Added to this is the high level of media attention in the expo context. Numerous articles in international newspapers and magazines, television reports, posts in social media, documentaries and the like all contribute to putting Baden-Württemberg, as a business and tourism location, in the focus of the global public. And the federal state's economy also benefits. Various B2B events at the Baden-Württemberg House offer companies from the region the opportunity to present themselves to a specialist audience and thus to acquire new customers. Overall, the Baden-Württemberg House offers considerable added value.

Expo

When does Expo 2020 Dubai take place?

Due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai had to be postponed by one year. It is now taking place from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. The title “Expo 2020 Dubai” was retained.

 

What defines an expo and how are they different from trade fairs?

An expo brings the countries of the world together so they can present their ideas, solutions and innovations on the current expo theme. Unlike a trade fair, there are no exhibitors and it’s not primarily about B2B talks and new contracts. Expos are not necessarily geared to experts in a particular field. First and foremost, they are intended for anyone and everyone — families with children, schoolchildren, students, older people, in fact each and every one of us. And the participating countries’ pavilions are designed to reflect that, with many of them adopting an edutainment approach. The aim is to offer visitors an unforgettable, varied and entertaining day at the expo, while also raising awareness of global topics. During their visit, they automatically engage with the questions raised by the expo’s overarching theme (which in the case of Expo 2020 Dubai is „Connecting Minds, Creating the Future“). And they leave with ideas that they can apply in their own lives to help shape a sustainable future.

 

How often does an expo take place?

There is a “world expo” (officially known as an “international registered exhibition”) every five years. They usually last six months and the participating countries can erect their own pavilions. The last one was in Milan in 2015. Dubai will be followed by Osaka, which will host the next expo in 2025. At world expos, participating countries can set up their own pavilions. Between the world expos, specialized expos are held every two to three years, focusing on a specific topic. Their maximum duration is three months.

 

Who decides when and where which expo is to be held?

These decisions are the responsibility of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) which is based in Paris. BIE is an organization that countries can join and apply to if they wish to host a world expo. The BIE’s General Assembly decides where the next expo will take place.

 

Do expos still have a place in today’s world?

Yes, definitely! Because we humans need to see things for ourselves, to smell, taste, hear and feel them. Only by doing so can we form an opinion about the expo participants’ pavilions. Nowhere else brings so many different people from across the globe together for six months to engage in a dialog with each other. At an expo, visitors can “see the world” without all the travel. As they explore, they can learn a great deal about life in the participating countries and how their own lives might benefit from the ideas on show. No video, photo or website could ever replace that experience.

At the same time, there is a particular focus at the world expos of the 21st century on content reflecting the chosen theme. The Dubai theme is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, with the implicit message that we need to work together if we want to ensure a better future. World expos thus provide an unrivaled format as a forum for topics of importance to the world’s future – a forum that runs for six months.

 

Is a visit to a world expo actually worthwhile? And why?

Yes, because the different countries’ and institutions’ pavilions are extremely diverse, interesting and often spectacular. Many of them have exhibits that visitors can explore themselves and which let them interact with people from all over the world. After they have paid to enter the expo site, there are no additional fees to visit the pavilions. There are also free cultural programs, run both by the expo organizers and by numerous participants. Plus, there’s a wide range of food available. In addition to being entertained, visitors can learn a great deal too. And, when they leave, they can take away with them wonderful memories of inspiring moments and encounters they will never forget.

 

Do Expo participants get a share of the admission revenue?

No, the organizers keep the admission revenue. After all, they provide the participants with extensive infrastructure, a fully developed expo site and support for their planning and construction activities. The organizers are also responsible for advertising the event and for visitor management – en route to the site, at the entrances and on the site itself. So it is more than appropriate that the organizers should keep the admission revenue – it comes nowhere close to covering their costs.

 

What measures have been taken to ensure that expo workers are treated fairly?
In October 2018, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Worker Welfare Policy was passed to advance worker welfare standards. This policy, including among others the prohibition of forced and child labor, discrimination and passport deprivation, but also the obligation to pay on time and in full, is reviewed regularly. All contractors and partners of Expo 2020 Dubai must ensure that the requirements listed therein are met throughout their entire supply chain.

 

To what extent does Expo Dubai support a more inclusive society, especially with regard to the role of women?
Inclusion plays an important role at Expo. In order to give women's rights a stronger voice and to emphasize the important role women play in our society, the Women’s Pavilion was erected. It aims to deconstruct stereotypes and gender roles and to provide solutions for challenges that women are still facing today. Expo is also joining forces with UNESCO and UNOOSA to promote women in science (MINT subjects). The fact that women also play an important role for the success of the world’s fair in Dubai is evident at the organizational level. Over half of the Expo team is made up of women (from 60 different countries). The Expo's Director General is also a woman (Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimy).

Expo is also advocating for more inclusion in other areas. From November 14 to 20, 2021, the Tolerance & Inclusivity theme week was held highlighting solutions for more tolerant and inclusive societies.

 

How sustainable is Expo 2020 Dubai?
Sustainability is one of the major topics of this expo — not just because of the fact that there is a dedicated Sustainability district on the expo grounds. 80 percent of the expo buildings will continue to be operated in the so called District2020 following the expo. Sustainability also played an important role during the construction of the expo pavilions and buildings, with many of them focusing on sustainable materials. When it comes to energy supply, Expo relies on renewable energies: Photovoltaic systems are generating 5.5 megawatts of energy throughout the expo site. CO₂emissions are closely controlled, reduced to a minimum and offset through climate protection projects (“Seeds of Change”). The issue of waste separation is not neglected either and given special consideration during the construction, operation and decommissioning of the pavilions.

Protective measures against the coronavirus:

What conditions do I have to meet to be allowed to travel to Dubai?

Please refer to the website of the German Foreign Office for more information on this topic..

 

Do I have to be vaccinated to access the expo site?

All visitors aged 18 and above must present proof of any vaccine recognized by their national government or a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours. A coronavirus test center is available for everyone. The PCR test will be free of charge on presentation of any valid Expo 2020 ticket.

 

How often are the exhibits disinfected?

All exhibits and surfaces of the Baden-Württemberg House that are frequently touched by visitors are cleaned and disinfected several times throughout the day. A special UV and infrared filter system provided by IST Metz ensures that the air is disinfected too.

 

What COVID-19 health and safety measures are in place?
At the entire expo site, including the Baden-Württemberg House, visitors are required to wear face masks and respect social distancing. Their body temperature is checked by means of thermal imaging cameras before they enter the expo site. Moreover, all public facilities are regularly cleaned and disinfected, and hand-sanitizer stations are positioned at regular intervals throughout the site.

 

 

Parts of the FAQ above are courtesy of the German Pavilion

(https://www.expo2020germany.de/).