Warsaw, October 1, 2021 THE POLISH PAVILION AT EXPO 2020 IN DUBAI IS NOW OPEN The largest global economic and promotional event has just begun: for the next 6 months, 18 million visitors are expected to visit the World Exhibition The World Exhibition Expo 2020 in Dubai opened today. Poland’s ultimate objective is to promote domestic economy and business, yet the event also offers a great opportunity to present the country’s tourist potential and its culture and art. For the next 6 months, Poland will organize nearly 1,000 events and up to 2,500 Polish companies are expected to benefit from the economic program. Due to the COVID-19 pandemics, Expo 2020 in Dubai was opened a year later than originally planned. It is the first time ever that the World Exhibitions is being hosted by an Arab country. The Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) is responsible for coordinating Poland’s participation in the event. * During 182 days, Expo 2020 is expected to welcome 18 million guests who will pay a total of 25 million visits: from state delegations of top officials, business representatives, tourists to the local population. Poland will be one of 200 countries and organisations, taking part in this prestigious global event. * The theme of this edition of the World Exhibition is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. The organizers are focusing in particular on cooperation, as a remedy to the global pandemic crisis. * Poland will be presented in a pavilion of over 2,000 square meters, which has a wooden facade and a very large kinetic sculpture, depicting a flock of birds. The most spectacular element of the exhibition will be the"Polish Table”, an artistic multimedia installation composed of 120 modules made from Polish wood, with special modules created by top artists, architects, and engineers. * Poland will present creativity as its national feature which gives the country its economic, scientific, cultural, and social success. The narrative in the Polish Pavilion is divided into five sections that share a common motive: “Poland. Creativity inspired by nature”. * Over the next six months, Poland will hold nearly 1,000 different events. The most significant include the” Polish Day”, The Polish-Arab Economic Forum and The Polish-African Economic Forum. * PAIH prepared a rich economic program consisting of many various initiatives. The program has attracted nearly 2,500 Polish firms. The Grand opening of the Polish Pavilion is scheduled for October 1, at 12:30 pm local time (10:30 am Polish time). The program of temporary exhibitions will also be presented and inaugurated by the Marshall’s Office of the Podlaskie Region and the Ministry of Climate and Environment: “Xylopolis. City fuelled by nature”. The visitors will be the first to see a monumental, nearly 46 square meter work of art by Leon Tarasewicz. “The World Exhibitions have always been the meeting point for different cultures from all over the world, including business culture. They have been and continue to be the perfect place to present economic and scientific achievements, as well for finding solutions to global problems. This time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both Poland and the entire world is now facing completely new challenges. And these very challenges will be the hottest economic issues discussed in Dubai over the next 6 months. There is one more reason why Expo 2020 in Dubai is extraordinary - never before has the World Exhibition been organised in the Middle East region. I am truly glad to have been given the chance to present Poland in this part of the world, to show our economic potential, also on a regional level, as well as to present the variety of Polish culture and values. These are crucial factors that facilitate the further, stable development of our country and its economy,” says Jan Pawelec, Director of the Department for Trade and International Cooperation in the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. THE POLISH PAVILION - A SPACE FOR A NEW NARRATIVE ABOUT POLAND “Today marks the spectacular beginning of a new narrative about Poland on the international arena. The Polish Pavilion, which is a true architectural masterpiece, which illustrates the power of Polish design and creativity, will offer visitors a chance to explore the story of Poland’s economic success, our culture and technology, our amazing natural environment, and above of all - our creativity and business acumen. It culminates 4 years of preparation and efforts by hundreds of people - extraordinary teams of project managers, creators, architects, engineers, artists and a number of institutional and commercial partners that worked with us”, said Adrian Malinowski, Commissioner General of the Polish Section of Expo 2020 in Dubai. The Polish Pavilion will be the place for a multidimensional presentation of Poland. The main theme is “Poland. Creativity inspired by nature”. The WXCA studio together with the Swiss studio Bellprat Partner is responsible for the design and the architectural and thematic concept of the pavilion and the exhibition. They created a unique, immersive, and permeating space inviting visitors to experience polish nature, culture and innovative technology. It intends to inspire and share with the world multiple solutions for a conscious, sustainable future. The final exhibition narrative, detailed concept and key experiences were created in  collaboration between the design studios Science Now, Stellar Fireworks and Tellart, which enriched the exhibition with distinctive, interactive experiences (eg. The” Polish Table” art installation), immersive spaces (eg. the Landscapes of Creativity room) and the overall conveying of the multimedia message. The General Contractor of the Polish Pavilion was the Poznań International Fair (MTP) - FM Aldentro consortium. The Pavilion presents the potential of our economy and its greatest achievements. A multi-media exhibition in the Polish Pavilion located in the Poland. Spirit of ingenuity zone will showcase nearly 200 items that represent sectors of the highest export potential to the Middle Eastern markets. “This presentation is based on actual success stories from the field of the economy, science, or culture. As host of the Polish Pavilion, I am immensely proud of this. The Polish Pavilion will be fully available to Polish companies. The second floor houses a business centre with a conference room and a VIP lounge. A visit to the Polish Pavilion will begin at the “Polish Table” where our guests will be warmly welcomed by our amazing guides - students of Polish universities. I would like to take a moment to thank them for their enthusiasm, joy and the diversity that they bring to our presentation at Expo. You are very welcome to visit the Polish Pavilion!”, says Adrian Malinowski, Commissioner General of the Polish Section of Expo 2020 in Dubai. The Polish Pavilion will host important events from day one of the grand opening. The Podlaskie Region and the Ministry of Climate and Environment will inaugurate the regional program of temporary exhibitions. A monumental painting by professor Leon Tarasewicz, one of the most significant contemporary Polish artists, is one of the main highlights of the “Xylopolis. City fuelled by nature” exhibition. The masterpiece is nearly 46 square meters in size and is the largest painting by the artist born in the Polish region of Podlasie. In his work, the artist alludes to both his local landscape and the theme for the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2020. The painting will be exhibited in zone IV of the Polish Pavilion between 1 and 24 October 2021. The major highlights of our presentation at Expo 2020 in Dubai include: The Polish Day (7.11.2021), The Polish-Arab Economic Forum (6.12.2021) and Polish-African Economic Forum (23.02.2022). For the next six months, the Polish Pavilion will host numerous performances by actors, folk musicians and acrobats, there will also be various workshops for children and fashion shows. The Program of cultural and educational events will also consist of daily concerts of Chopin’s music, programming workshops, folk dancing classes and pottery painting. EXPO 2020 - THE WHOLE WORLD IN ONE PLACE Expo 2020 is the most important economic event in the world, whose scale is comparable to that of the Olympic Games, Football’s World Cup or the largest cultural festivals. Using to the fullest the potential of the event, Poland will promote its economic value and strengthen the power of Polish enterpreneaurship on foreign markets. The Polish Investment and Trade Agency - in cooperation with more than 40 institutions - has prepared a special economic program for entrepreneurs. It consists of several support tools addressed to Polish companies wanting to expand their business by participating in Poland's presence at Expo 2020. “PAIH continues its efforts to actively promote Poland. We are proud that after four years of intense work on the project, we are now beginning our presence in Expo 2020 in Dubai. We will strengthen our position and promote Poland as an attractive and safe destination for investors. This exhibition offers an opportunity to win brand new investments for our country. This year, the number and value of such investements will break all records. During the next six months we will also show, above all, the export potential of our entrepreneurs and companies. Their attention will be drawn, in particular, to the new markets of the Middle East and Africa. We have created a comprehensive economic program which comprises of several initiatives addressed to nearly 2,500 companies. For half a year, we will be presenting Polish economic, scientific, cultural and social success stories. In total, almost 1,000 events will be held, among which there will be two large ecomonic forums. They are likely to open a new chapter in trade relations between Poland and the countries of the African continent and the Arabian Gulf” – ensures the Chairman of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, Krzysztof Drynda. Contact: Press office Poland at Expo 2020 Dubai Anna Tukalska anna.tukalska@paih.gov.pl ------------------------------------ More information on the website devoted to Poland's participation in World Exhibitions: www.expo.gov.pl and on social media channels of Poland at Expo:  LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.