Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum receives flag for next Expo 2020 Dubai

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of the Emirates Group and also Chairman of the Supreme National Committee for Expo 2020 Dubai, received on Saturday the baton for Expo 2020 Dubai from Expo Milano 2015, which came to a close yesterday.

Sheikh Ahmed received the flag from Secretary General of the International Exhibitions Bureau (IEB), Vincent Gonzales, at the ceremony in Milan in the presence of President of the Republic of Italy Sergio Mattarella.

The representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan also received the flag of Astana Expo 2017, which will be held under the theme "Future Energy."

The ceremony was attended by Reem bint Ibrahim al-Hashemi, Minister of State, Member of the Supreme National Committee of Expo 2020 Dubai and General Manager of Expo 2020 Dubai, Saqr Nasser Al Raisi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Italy, Noura Mohammed Juma, UAE Consul General in Italy, along with Salem Al Ameri, Commissioner-General of UAE Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015, and Abdullah Aiderous, Deputy Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015.

The President of Italy congratulated the UAE for winning the bid to host Expo 2020 Dubai, wishing more success to Dubai to host the world's event. He commended the success of his country in hosting Expo Milano, which represented a bridge towards a better future.

The celebration was also attended by a number of Italian and international officials, ambassadors and Consul Generals from Arab and foreign countries.

Expo 2020 Dubai, themed 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,' has identified three sub-themes around which the global community will gather to sign new collaborations, in order to find solutions to essential matters and to leave a mark of a strong social and economic collaboration around the world