Expo 2023 Doha will be held from October 2, 2023 to March 28, 2024.
Doha, Qatar: As the countdown to the Expo 2023 Doha enters its final stretch with just a month remaining, the attention turns to the event’s compelling theme, “Green Desert, Better Environment,” and its accompanying subthemes dedicated to fostering sustainable innovations and combatting the ever-encroaching threat of desertification.
Set in Al Bidda Park, the Expo site is poised to transform into a hub of innovation, sustainability, cultural exchange, and entertainment. With a sweeping ambition to make history, the Expo promises to deliver a comprehensive experience that transcends borders and generations.
According to the Expo 2023 Doha website, the core of the Green Desert concept embraces a holistic approach, encompassing cultural, educational, economic, social, and scientific dimensions.
This innovative approach amalgamates traditional agricultural practices with cutting-edge techniques such as hydroponics, permaculture, and vermiculture, all while maintaining a sustainable ethos.
“The greening of deserts is a sustainable project for irrigation and forestation of dry areas or regions near water sources like lakes, rivers, seas or oceans. Also, we need to promote the benefits of clean technologies like irrigation with natural water sources and renewable energy supplies. Thus, the Green Desert concept entails modern agriculture based on technology and innovation, supported by enhanced environmental awareness, in order to attain sustainability,” the official website mentioned.
The crux of the Green Desert paradigm revolves around a modern agricultural landscape that leverages technology and innovation. In tandem with heightened environmental consciousness, this blueprint aims to achieve sustainability.
“One third of the world’s land surface is threatened by desertification. Across the world it affects the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the benefits of ecosystems that drylands provide. The amount of land threatened by desertification increases by 12 million hectares each year, making it a global problem. As the land becomes more arid, it can no longer support the number of people it did in the past. As a result, massive numbers of rural people migrate to urban areas, causing not only an environmental problem but also an economic challenge.” Comprising four subthemes, Expo 2023 Doha delineates its focus areas: Modern Agriculture, Technology and Innovation, Environmental Awareness, and Sustainability.
For instance, under the Modern Agriculture umbrella, the discourse centres on topics like Enhancing Farmers’ Role, Bridging Knowledge and Technology, Ensuring Coordinated Solutions, and Promoting Permaculture. The Expo envisions these discussions as crucial in catalysing innovation and scientific breakthroughs to ensure a sustainable, secure, and affordable global food supply while curbing climate-related impacts.
On the Technology and Innovation front, the Expo spotlights Hands-On Experience, Rainwater Harvesting, Alternative Energy Solutions and Urban Greenery and Urban Farming. These avenues, heralded as key drivers, aim to harmonize agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship.
“Technology & Innovation; a vehicle for future green solutions, while playing an important role in changing direction in the use of fossil fuels, creating solutions for urban industrial pollution and advancing alternatives for chemical-intensive agriculture.” Concurrently, the Expo amplifies the clarion call for Environmental Awareness, as it strives to nurture affiliations alongside education, spotlighting concepts like FoodPrint and Perma Gardening. It champions the fragile and inimitable nature of the environment and beckons immediate action to rectify imminent challenges.
Lastly, Sustainability emerges as the thematic linchpin, articulating itself through three topics: Economic, entailing investment in innovative agricultural technologies; Social, establish a connection between people and nature to enhance awareness; and Environmental, the transformation of arid expanses into thriving agricultural domains and verdant forests.
The Expo 2023 Doha will run for over six months, commencing from October 2 to March 28, 2024. Drawing an estimated three million visitors, this event stands as Qatar’s second-largest congregation after last year’s World Cup.
In an interview, Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the regulatory body overseeing global expos, underscored the paramount importance of education in these gatherings.
Kerkentzes stressed the urgency of a united global front against climate change. The Expo, he said, serves as an educational platform, enlightening individuals irrespective of nationality or geographic location about the imperatives of climate adaptation. The collaborative effort of countries with diverse climates engenders collective education to drive essential adjustments in daily lives.
