Dubai beats Yekaterinburg (Russia) , Izmir (Turkey) and Sao Paulo ( Brazil) . The news greeted with fireworks from Burj Khalifa . The exhibition will give new lease of life to the Middle East "melting pot of cultures and creativity." turnover of € 23 billion and € 8.6 billion for works .

Dubai ( AsiaNews / Agencies) - Dubai will host the 2020 edition of the World Expo , having beaten three other cities in contention : Yekaterinburg ( Russia ) , Izmir (Turkey) and Sao Paulo in Brazil. The official announcement marked the end of the 154^th General Assembly of the International Exhibitions Bureau ( BIE ) in Paris , and was greeted by fireworks launched from the Burj Khalifa , the tallest building in the world. Dubai is the first city in the Middle East to host the Expo, an event that takes place every five years, the next appointment is scheduled in 2015 in Milan.

The Emir Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al -Maktoum has assured that the event will be an opportunity to "surprise" the whole world and an "unforgettable experience".  In the final vote Dubai ( 116 votes ) beat the Russian city of Yekaterinburg (47). " Dubai Expo 2020 - he added - will give new life to the ancient role of the Middle East , a melting pot of cultures and creativity."

The universal exhibition will promote a turnover of around 23 billion dollars to fund the six-month event, costing at least 8.4 billion , of which 6.5 will be allocated by the local government for infrastructure projects. Among these , a new and impressive exhibition center , plus new hotels and an extension of the subway line .

The victory of the city that boasts the tallest building in the Emirates and the largest man-made island in the world , along with one of the busiest airports , will be an opportunity for development and visibility for the entire Middle East region . The field of travel and tourism will absorb 47% of the 227 thousand new jobs planned for the future.

The World Expo , a modern version of the Universal Exhibitions of the nineteenth and early twentieth century, it is an unmissable showcase in terms of technology , architecture, design and culture. The latest edition in Shanghai, in 2010, reported a record number of 73 million visitors.

Dubai is the second largest of the seven emirates that form the confederation of the United Arab Emirates  (UAE ).  It has a population of about 2.1 million inhabitants out of a little more than 7.5 million throughout the confederation. Islam is the official state religion and the most widespread, even if the government pursues a policy of relative tolerance towards other religions , while not allowing proselytism. The majority are Sunni Muslim , but there are also Shia minorities , Christians, Hindus and Buddhists , especially among immigrants who make up 80 % of the total population . Of these, the vast majority (85%) come from Asia : India ( 51%), Pakistan (16%) , Bangladeshi (9%) and the Philippines ( 6%).

 

 

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