First Lady Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio has joined the United Arab Emirates leadership and participants from over 190 countries to officially open the Expo 2020 at the EXP0 village in Dubai.

During the event, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner General of the EXPO 2020 Dubai, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, said that during the EXPO event, they UAE would share with the world their experiences noting that through connecting minds, they had been able to achieve milestones that seemed impossible.

He said the UAE has over the years focused its development on investing in human development, expanding infrastructure, economic diversification and creating opportunities for everyone to grow and prosper.

Our mere presence here, amid all the challenges the world is facing, is a proof of the keen commitment to make the world a better place for all. By hosting EXPO, we are to convey a message of tolerance and that we are willing to collaborate with the world, he said.

Secretary General of the Bureau International Des Expositions, His Excellency Dimitri S. Kerkentzes said that with more than 190 countries participating, the world was coming together for the first time since the pandemic to connect, exchange and learn on the extraordinary global stage, adding that the event would provide a platform to showcase innovative and cutting-edge solutions to global challenges.

Reacting to the ceremony, Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, who is leading Sierra Leone’s preparations for the EXPO, said that the show was an opportunity for her country to showcase its rich and diverse culture to the world.