On March 11, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) signed the agreement on the development of the concept for Latvia’s Pavilion at EXPO in Dubai, which also includes equipping and arranging its premises. The offer by SOIL team was chosen as the best idea among other proposals. It is based on 4D solutions that showcase peat as a unique material that guides through the country’s past and leads to future achievements. The fair will take place in Dubai between October 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022.
“With Latvia’s Pavilion at EXPO we plan to tell a story about Latvia. With its many dimensions, we found SOIL team’s idea to be highly appealing, as peat is a material with deep symbolism and it tells a lot about Latvia. It will help create a special atmosphere and bring something fresh to the Middle East. In this concept we see an opportunity to showcase the values of our country and display what our companies have to offer. We have identified ICT, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, innovative construction materials, transport and logistics, and food as industries with the most potential in EXPO 2020. However, other industries will also have an opportunity to take part and show their offer in the event,” says LIAA Director General Kaspars Rožkalns.
The EXPO 2020 has a central theme 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future' and three subthemes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, each with its own pavilion. Latvia’s Pavilion will be located in the Opportunity District – in a rented building. The first floor will hold Latvia’s exhibition but the third floor will be used as Business Premises for various activities.
To avoid crowding in the exhibition premises, the attendees will be allowed to spend up to four minutes in each of the four rooms and have one minute to proceed to the next room. This means that each new group of attendees will be able to enter the premises every five minutes and have a total of 20 minutes for the full experience.
“We will use digital technology to tell four stories about Latvia, complemented with various elements made from peat. This ancient material stores unique information about our country's past, trees and people long gone. We will combine it with the latest technology to show the vision of Latvia’s image in the future. The stories will derive from the core values of Latvia – a country ready for new challenges, a country that connects worlds apart, and is fit for discoveries and experiments,” says a member of the SOIL team Ints Bērziņš.