Expo 2020 Dubai has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, unveiling creative content and programming for the Women’s Pavilion in collaboration with Cartier that will celebrate women change-makers around the globe.
Taking place in Dubai from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 – the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region – Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo since the 1900s to have a stand-alone pavilion dedicated to women. Expo 2020’s focus on women’s empowerment and gender equality builds on the example of the UAE, recognising the important roles women play and the contributions made from all members of society.
Driven by a common conviction that the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous world cannot be achieved without gender equality and women’s empowerment, Expo 2020 and Cartier will come together to remind the world that full and equal participation of women in all fields is essential to building a more equitable and just world.
Under the exhibition titled “New Perspectives”, the Women’s Pavilion will invite visitors to recognise the central role that women, known and unknown, have played throughout history, leading up to the present.
Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “The international community has made progress in gender equality and women’s empowerment, but much more needs to be done. By welcoming visitors from across the planet and from every walk of life, Expo 2020 Dubai is a unique, powerful platform that will drive the necessary attention to this issue.
“Gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) has been a central principle of the UAE since its inception 50 years ago as evidenced in initiatives by great female leaders such as Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak and Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum.”
The Women’s Pavilion features five structures with different narratives located on the ground floor:
- Introduction– expressing the purpose of the pavilion;
- Achievements– shining a light on women’s impact on the world;
- Challenges– acknowledging what is holding women back;
- Solutions– highlighting the initiatives enabling women to thrive so humanity can thrive;
- Engaging with visitors– encouraging visitors to become champions of gender equality and women’s empowerment and take the journey forward.
Cyrille Vigneron, President and CEO of Cartier International said: “At Cartier, we believe that empowering women has a multiplier effect: it helps drive economic growth and development, and benefits societies and humanity at large. As gender inequality persists and continues to impact women’s lives, it is ever more imperative to show unity and togetherness in promoting women empowerment. We are honoured to take our long-standing support to women change-makers further by collaborating with Expo 2020 Dubai and present the Women’s Pavilion to a truly global audience.”
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka – defender of and campaigner for women’s rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality – is renewing her endorsement of the Women’s Pavilion.
Mlambo-Ngcuka said: “I applaud the UAE for dedicating a space for the millions of visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai to learn about the crucial roles that women play, from communities to the world stage, while recognising the challenges they still face every day.
Expo 2020’s standing as the world’s most impactful global incubator for new ideas is complemented by Cartier’s strength in fostering creative dialogue and supporting artistic expression, with the Women’s Pavilion having gathered a diverse community of creators and artists to contribute both to its design and curation:
- Inspired by references from Cartier’s creative heritage, French architect Laura Gonzalez reimagines the upper part of the pavilion’s façade, together with Dubai born artist Kholoud Sharafi and French light designer Pauline David
- International multidisciplinary artist El Seed, who was born in France to Tunisian parents, has delved into his heritage and learned to read and write standard Arabic. Using Arabic calligraphy to spread messages of peace, unity and to underline the commonalities of human existence, his unique artwork transforms the lower part of the pavilion’s façade
- Lebanese actress and the firstfemale Arab director to be nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Foreign Language Film for the powerful Capernaum, Nadine Labaki will direct the Women’s Pavilion’s introduction movie, highlighting the brand’s manifesto “when women thrive, humanity thrives”
- Mélanie Laurent,french actress, screenwriter and director takes over the second floor of the pavilion to curate an immersive exhibition fostering dialogues across cultural, artistic, and social fields in three sections.
Across the six months of Expo, the Women’s Pavilion will host an array of events, programming and meaningful dialogues.
As it celebrates women driving change from every walk of life, the pavilion supports Expo 2020’s mission to deliver real-life solutions to real-life challenges. Expo 2020 will run from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, inviting visitors from around the world to join the making of a new world, experiencing a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.Source : media.expo2020dubai.com
