Thousands of people are invited to come together this coming Friday to mark the three-year countdown to Expo 2020 Dubai at a free celebration on the beach where they will be treated to an early glimpse of what the exhibition has in store for them.

In keeping with the theme of the Expo, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, people of all ages and backgrounds will converge on The Beach – Meraas, opposite Jumeirah Beach Residence, JBR, in anticipation for what promises to be the most inclusive World Expo in history.

The day will include numerous attractions, a fitness challenge, live local and international music and entertainment, a variety of food and drinks, plus, a chance to learn more about Expo 2020 Dubai itself.

The celebration will feature an array of Expo-themed activities, many of which will be based around innovations first showcased at previous World Expos such as television, the gramophone, telephones and ice cream cones.

There will also be a celebration on the day to mark the launch of the official volunteer registration portal for Expo 2020 Dubai, which has been set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development. The portal will go live on 20th October.

Opening on 20th October 2020, Expo is projected to attract 25 million visitors, 70 percent of whom are expected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 166-year history of World Expos.

It is the first time that a World Expo has been held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and the Arab world and more than 200 participants, including countries, companies, NGOs and educational institutions, are also expected to participate.