Expo 2023 Doha serves as a global hub, bringing nations together to champion sustainable practices and address pressing environmental challenges.
Rwandan Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente attended the opening ceremony of the International Horticultural Expo 2023 on Monday, where Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani welcomed a number of leaders officials and diplomats from around the world.
Ngirente witnessed a display of performances that showcased the rich tapestry of Qatar’s heritage and the global horticultural diversity.
The mega international horticulture event, the biggest of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, is held under the theme “Green Desert, Better Environment”. The horticulture Expo is also the first to ever take place in an area with a dry climate.
Renowned for its distinguished horticultural lineage and its globally-acclaimed coffee, Rwanda has cast the spotlight on showcasing top-notch horticultural products with a focus on exports and conservation agriculture to protect soil, an embassy press release said.
The six-month event aims to promote environmental sustainability, innovative horticultural practices, and foster international cooperation, with more than 80 countries participating, including Rwanda.
“Sustainable productivity, at the crossroads of ecotourism and conservation, takes centre stage, positively impacting our biospheres. Expo 2023 Doha is a great platform for Rwanda to highlight modern, sustainable agriculture while also sharing its vibrant cultural traditions,” it added.
The International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha is set to remain open to the public until March, 2024.
A ‘catalyst’ for environmental development
The event aims to draw in more than three million visitors while providing attendees the opportunity to explore different cultures by visiting a diverse set of pavilions from each participating country.
Expo 2023 Doha is also expected to bring the small Gulf state back under the international spotlight as the host of major events, following the success of the 2022 FIFA World Cup—the first to ever take place in an Arab and Muslim nation.
“Just as [Qatar] dazzled the world in organising the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, it will also dazzle the world at Expo 2023 Doha,” the Gulf state’s news agency (QNA) reported, citing Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Minister of Municipality and Chairman of the national committee for hosting Expo 2023 Doha for Horticulture.
The Qatari minister further noted that the Gulf state aims to promote the concept of green cities in the wider Middle East region, making Expo “a catalyst for international investments and the launch of initiatives concerned with developing useful environmental solutions”.
Visitors at Expo will be given the opportunity to walk through multiple gardens, attend informative talks and conferences and indulge in international cuisines. The building has six different parking lots with the capacity of 4,428 cars in addition to an external parking lot.
The exhibition is broken into three main areas, including the cultural area, the family area, and the international area—all of which will provide entertaining performances and activities for all visitors.
Other facilities include a cultural bazaar, a farmers market, and the Environment Center and Biodiversity Museum that will be displaying environmental science, renewable energy demonstrations and technologies.
