ABU DHABI, 8th April, 2025 (WAM) -- The United Arab Emirates today unveiled the full vision for its national pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, taking place in Japan from April 13- October 13, 2025.This was announced during a media briefing organised today by the National Media Office.

Located within the Empowering Lives Zone, the UAE Pavilion presents a bold vision of collective progress through its theme, Earth to Ether. This theme reflects the country's ongoing journey from its deeply rooted cultural heritage to a future driven by innovation, imagination, and exploration - bridging the physical and intangible frontiers.

Reflecting on the UAE's ambition to empower all life from Earth to Ether, the Pavilion delivers a clear and compelling message. The nation is driving collective progress for humanity and the planet by advancing space exploration, reimagining healthcare and pioneering sustainable technologies. More than an architectural landmark or national exhibit, the pavilion is an invitation to collaborate. It invites the world to engage with the UAE's ideas, values and ambitions, and to explore how a country rooted in heritage is helping shape a flourishing future for all life on the planet and beyond.

On this occasion, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State, and Commissioner of Expo Office - UAE said:
"The UAE's participation in World Expos has consistently reflected a commitment to dialogue, collaboration, and the pursuit of collective progress."

She emphasised that the UAE Expo Office views each Expo not merely as a moment in time, but as a dynamic platform to showcase the nation's core values on the global stage, strengthen partnerships, advance sustainability, and foster deeper cultural understanding.

Al Kaabi added that returning to Japan 55 years after the UAE's first participation in the Expo represents a continuation of the country's legacy of meaningful presence, reflecting its commitment to building a more inclusive and interconnected global future.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the minister affirmed that the UAE's participation in "Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai" will centre around youth, highlighting the involvement of 24 talented Emirati youth ambassadors alongside 20 Japanese youth who are fluent in around seven languages. She explained that this distinction will play a major and effective role in ensuring the UAE's message is impactful.

She expressed her eagerness to share with visitors to the UAE Pavilion in Osaka a wealth of inspiring stories about the nation's dreamers and achievers, stressing that young people have accomplished many innovations across various fields, which opens opportunities to build partnerships with the Japanese public and visitors to the pavilion at "Expo 2025."

For his part, Shihab Al Faheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan, and Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, said: "UAE Pavilion reflects the country's approach to shaping the future and embodies resilience, openness, and the ability to strengthen global cooperation to achieve collective progress."

He pointed out that the UAE's return to Osaka carries significant symbolic and strategic meaning, as Abu Dhabi's first participation in World Expos was at Expo 1970 Osaka. "Today, more than 50 years later, the UAE returns with a global voice calling for cooperation and understanding achieving further progress and development."

During his remarks at the media briefing, the ambassador also highlighted the deep strategic and economic ties between the UAE and Japan, noting that non-oil trade between the two countries reached approximately AED64 billion in 2024, a 32% increase compared to 2023. He explained that the UAE is Japan's top trading partner in the Arabian Gulf region.

As part of the leadership team guiding the UAE Pavilion journey to Expo 2025 Osaka, the UAE Expo Office has appointed Mariam Al Memari, Head of the UAE Expo Office, and Shaikha Al Ketbi, UAE Pavilion Creative Director, as Deputy Commissioner General of the Pavilion. In these roles, they will work alongside Shihab Al Faheem to ensure that the Pavilion delivers an impactful national narrative, fosters meaningful global engagement, and brings to life the UAE's vision for Expo 2025 as a platform for innovation, collaboration, and collective progress.

The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 is a testament to global collaboration, uniting Emirati, Japanese, and international expertise in a collective design process that merges tradition with innovation. Drawing inspiration from the iconic date palm, the pavilion reinterprets areesh-traditional Emirati vernacular architecture-by integrating agricultural date palm waste with masterful Japanese woodworking expertise. The Pavilion's signature feature is a striking forest of 90 rachis columns, soaring up to 16 meters. The design sets the tone for a pavilion that represents a story of partnership, sustainability and shared creativity.

Over the six-month duration, the UAE Pavilion will host opportunities for learning, collaboration and the co-creation of new futures through its curated calendar of more than 40 public-facing programmes. The Pavilion programming includes sustainable technology forums, healthcare dialogues, youth empowerment activities and discussions on space exploration and technological innovation and expands into Expo Osaka's thematic weeks. Each experience reflects how tradition drives innovation, fostering a culture of open dialogue and inquiry.

A major moment for the pavilion will be the celebration of UAE National Day. This event will showcase the UAE's culture, leadership and spirit through a series of high-profile activations and performances. It will serve as a national celebration on a global stage, reinforcing the UAE's role as a connector, a convener and a country committed to shared progress. UAE National Day at Expo 2025 Osaka is expected to draw international attention and will be among the most anticipated events of the six-month exposition.

The list of official partners of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai includes: ADNOC; PureHealth; Space42; and Department of Culture and Tourism.