Two months after the curtain came down on Expo 2020 Dubai, the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region is still celebrating its glorious success after receiving 29 Global Telly Awards across multiple categories for its spectacular Opening Ceremony.

The Expo Dubai Explorer App also won a Gold Telly Winner for its ‘Immersive & Mixed Reality Craft-Metaverse’.

The Opening Ceremony was awarded Gold for nine categories – ‘Online Craft-Videography/ Cinematography’, ‘Immersive & Mixed Reality Craft-Use of AR’, ‘Immersive & Mixed Reality Craft-Directing’, ‘Immersive & Mixed Reality General-Series/Show’, ‘Online Craft-Use of Music’, ‘Online Craft-Set Design’, ‘Online Craft-Use of 360 Audio’, ‘Immersive & Mixed Reality General-Dance & Performance’ and ‘Immersive & Mixed Reality General-Events’ – together with 12 Silver awards and eight Bronze.

In addition to its recognition by the Global Telly Awards, the Opening Ceremony also won ‘Outstanding Event Production of the Year’ for the 2022 TPMEA Awards, which recognises the achievements of the best and brightest in the industry.

Expo 2020 Dubai captured the world’s imagination by welcoming the planet’s finest minds and the most innovative ideas from around the globe, with its star-studded Opening Ceremony setting the bar for 182 days of entertainment and kickstarting a series of events at Expo that have further strengthened the UAE’s creative economy.

Honouring excellence in video and television across all screens, the 43rd annual Global Telly Awards celebrate the re-emergence of the industry that has resurfaced in a transformed world. This season’s theme, ‘A New POV’, pays tribute to the changes that have come to life through a new focus on the likes of hybrid events, immersive and mixed reality, sustainability, diversity and inclusion (D&I) and social impact.

As the world’s biggest event of its kind since the pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai ensured its Opening Ceremony was broadcast to a global audience of millions across multiple channels, including Expo TV and Virtual Expo. As of 31st March 2022, it had been viewed 7.6 million times.

Showcasing the stunning Al Wasl Plaza, including the largest immersive sound installation in the world and the world’s largest blended video projection installation, the Opening Ceremony took place ‘in the round’ and featured a revolving stage, spectacular surrounds and immersive technologies. More than 3,000 lighting fixtures, 1,000 speakers, 1,300 costumes and buckets of passion and emotion from every one of the 1,000-plus participating performers also contributed to a one-of-a-kind spectacle of artistic collaboration.

Tareq Ghosheh, Chief Events and Entertainment Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai – who oversaw the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, together with the rigorous schedule of Expo 2020 Dubai’s extensive Events and Entertainment programme, including its state-of-the-art technical set-up – was thrilled with the numerous accolades bestowed upon the star-studded event.

Ghosheh said, “We are incredibly proud of the world-class entertainment we delivered at Expo 2020 Dubai – not just with our Opening Ceremony, which has been watched virtually by millions across the globe, but also with the continuous 182 days of unparalleled entertainment experiences we tirelessly delivered, with up to 200 live events staged daily across a plethora of world-class venues.

“Drawing inspiration directly from Expo’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, the Opening Ceremony took spectators on an incredible journey across its subthemes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, showcasing the deep-rooted values of the UAE and the vision and purpose of the Expo, while welcoming the mega-event’s 192 participating countries in breath-taking fashion and celebrating the optimistic spirit of Expo 2020 Dubai.”

Headlined by world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli, the glittering line-up also included Grammy-nominated, Golden Globe-winning actress, singer and songwriter Andra Day; multi-million-selling British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding; Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang; and four-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo.

Highlighting the creative diversity and talent of the region, the cast also comprised the ‘Artist of Arabs’ Mohammed Abdu; much-loved Emirati singing sensation Ahlam; Emirati Artist and Expo 2020 Dubai Ambassador Hussain Al Jassmi, a trendsetter on the Khaleeji music scene in the Middle East and Internationally; rising UAE singer-songwriter Almas; and Grammy-nominated Lebanese-American singer Mayssa Karaa.

Al Wasl Plaza will remain as part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s legacy plans, which will see the site transition into a smart and sustainable city-within-a-city, an innovation-driven business ecosystem and a diverse, thriving urban community that will repurpose more than 80 percent of Expo-built infrastructure.