Canada Expo 2020. Credit: Twitter handle
CMEDIA: Canada’s delegation in its National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai was led today by the Governor-General of Canada, Mary Simon, who also participated in a series of high-level meetings before the official ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza, the heart of Expo 2020 Dubai.
Highlighting the strong partnership between Canada and the United Arab Emirates, Simon stressed the importance of collaboration across countries and cultures and promoted Canadian leadership, innovation, and opportunities.
Simon was accompanied by Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business, and Economic Development, during her visit to Expo 2020 Dubai.
“With Expo 2020 Dubai, we are maintaining our focus on promoting Canada’s Trade Diversification Strategy. Canada remains a steadfast advocate for a strong, sustainable and inclusive economic recovery. By promoting our Canadian exporters, innovators and investors at Expo 2020 Dubai, and in my meetings with Emirati officials, business people and investors, we are committed to providing them with meaningful opportunities, and supporting their global expansion,” said Mary Ng in a news release.
The Canada Pavilion marked its Expo National Day cultural and trade events to recognize the deepening of economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties between Canada, the UAE, and the wider Middle East region, which are further strengthened by Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
Showcasing a week of music, art, movie screenings, and performances, Canada’s cultural program culminated in a National Day concert headlined by Quebec pop sensation Marie Mai, her music incorporating elements of rock, pop, and electro mingled in a dynamic way heightened by her electrifying rhythms. Over her nearly 20-year career, she built a successful career in film and TV and has become one of Canada’s most successful Francophone pop stars.
Canadian alt-pop duo “Neon Dreams,” made up of vocalist Frank Kadillac and drummer Adrian Morris, performed their unique sound blending pop, rock, electronic dance music (EDM), hip-hop, reggae, and folk and have won numerous Canadian awards, including Breakthrough Group of the Year at the 2020 Juno Awards and Best New Group or Solo Artist: Dance/Urban/Rhythmic at the 2017 Canadian Radio Music Awards.
Internationally renowned circus troupe “Artcirq” and their energetic acrobatic performances inspired the visitors. Artcirq’s unique performing style blends modern circus techniques with Inuit culture and multimedia production, giving its members the space, skills, and opportunities to express themselves and celebrate their heritage.
The National Day was also commemorated by the Canada Pavilion with the outdoor photographic exhibition “Take Your Seat,” the name derived from the Director’s chair creatively placed in each shot to remind everyone that the choice to take care of each other, our planet, and our best selves are ours to make. In accordance with this Expo theme, visitors to the Canada Pavilion were invited to “take a seat” on the red Director’s chair and reflect on beautiful connections forged during Expo 2020 Dubai.
The Canada Pavilion will also participate in a series of fun events and activities to mark “International Day of la Francophonie” on March 20, when more than 320 million francophones in 5 different continents celebrate the French language as well as their cultural diversity.
Canada’s National Day showcase will be culminated by the regional premiere of “Peace by Chocolate,” a Canadian drama film, directed by Jonathan Keijser, inspired by the true story of the Hadhad family’s move to Canada as refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war, settling in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and establishing the Peace by Chocolate artisanal chocolate shop.
Canada’s Expo 2020 theme, The Future in Mind, serves as a platform to promote opportunities for trade, investment, education, tourism, and immigration, from across Canada’s provinces, territories, and cities, and throughout all sectors of society.
Canada’s participation highlights Canadian leadership in key sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, education, digitization, telemedicine, clean technology, agriculture, health sciences, aerospace, and more. Canada’s approach to Expo 2020 Dubai is inspired by our core values of diversity, inclusion, human rights, and gender equality as the foundation to building a prosperous and inclusive nation.
“ Expo 2020 Dubai…to promote Canada as a global leader…solutions to offer to the world…Canada is an ideal place for education, immigration, business, investment, and tourism,’’ said Marie-Geneviève Mounier, Commissioner General of Canada, Expo 2020 Dubai.
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