Expo Doha 2023 lived up to hopes, expectations placed on it: minister

HE the Minister of Municipality and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Horticultural Expo Doha 2023 Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie underscored that the mega international event lived up to the expectations and hopes placed on it.In his remarks during an event organized by Expo 2023 Doha under the title 'Welcome to Expo', marking the occasion of Qatar National Day -- which was attended by a number of officials, ambassadors, and heads of diplomatic mission accredited to the state -- HE the Minister said that this mega international exhibition succeeded so far in attracting more that 1.6mn visitors from all over the world and emerged as a distinguished station in the procession of successive achievements in various forums and fields witnessed by the country, especially after the success of the initiative to draw the largest Qatari flag using 300,000 flowers in the international area of the exhibition.HE the Minister added that Qatar National Day constitutes a source of pride and honour for everyone, especially in light of the great strides that Qatar has made in the past few years and the achievements it has made in the history of the region and the world with letters of gold. This would not have been achieved without the directives of the wise leadership led by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. HE the Minister pointed out that organizing and hosting Expo 2023 Doha, this prestigious global horticultural event, reflects the ambitions of Qatar and the tireless efforts it has made in the process of sustainability and environment preservation.HE al-Subaie also expressed his hope that these successes would continue through the efforts of those in charge of this great exhibition and the participating parties and that beloved Qatar would achieve more progress, prosperity, and stability.The programme of events included a group of distinguished performances inspired by the ancient history of Qatar, its rich culture, and its inherited customs and traditions. The programme included the cavalry and camel parade, and the "Tag Ya Matar" show, which was inspired by authentic Qatari customs, brings back memories of the past and the beauty of the present, and was presented by the future generation of school girls.Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha has made more than one record in the Guinness World Records since its launch in October. Those records include a sentence written using 40,000 plastic bottles to raise awareness of recycling and sustainable environmental preservation.Before its launch, the main building of the Expo entered the 'Guinness World Records' for having the world's largest green roof, which extends over an approximate area of 4,031 sq m. The pavilion of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology 'Smart Qatar' TASMU also entered the Guinness World Records by registering the longest independent concrete structure built using 3D printing technology.Over its six months, the exhibition is expected to attract more than 3mn visitors, especially since this unique edition seeks to establish the concept of greening the desert as a main focus, and constitutes an opportunity to discuss innovative solutions that address water shortages and desertification problems, deal with climate variables, and create a platform that brings together people and ideas to accelerate the pace of innovation, creativity, research, and scientific progress in modern agriculture to produce safe and sustainable food for the world's population.