The Republic of San Marino planned a host of activities over two days to celebrate their National Day at Expo 2020. The National Days at Expo 2020 Dubai give country pavilions an opportunity to celebrate their culture and achievements while showcasing the special features of their pavilion and the San Marino pavilion highlights the country’s unique attractions, treasures, natural resources and heritage elements.

San Marino’s presence at Expo Dubai reinforces the country’s efforts to position itself as a resourceful country with must-see tourist destination nestled within Northern Italy and easily accessible via key airports such as Rome and Bologna. San Marino is an independent country founded more than 1700 years ago with 33.000 in habitants.

The San Marino Pavilion, located in the Opportunity District is dedicated to the replica of the “Treasure of Domagnano” found in San Marino in late 1800. The most important piece of the treasure, the fibula is now at Louvre Abu Dhabi. The pavilion tells the History and tradition of the country as well as its modern economic system based on tourism but also innovative companies.

Officials attending the San Marino National Day at the Expo will be the two Heads of State, S.E. Francesco Mussoni and S.E. Giacomo Simoncini, the Republic of San Marino’s Minister for Tourism and Expo, Federico Pedini Amati, the Minister of Work and Sport, Teodoro Lonfernini, Minister of culture and instruction Andrea Belluzzi,Minister of Economy and Industry, Fabio Righi and GIAN Primo Giardi, The president of CONS – Sammarinese National Olympic Committee. Also attending will be the General Commissioner, Filippo Francini.

The celebrations on the 12th of February included the San Marino Flagwavers Show across different Expo Plazas (Arrival, Earth, Sea and Sun). The San Marino Crossbow Men’s Federation, an artistic ensemble founded in 1956 by Master Giuseppe Rossi, dressed in traditional medieval costumes performed a historical commemoration of a typical medieval show.

This was followed by the San Marino Medalist Event at the San Marino Pavilion VIP Lounge to celebrate the first olympic medals for a small country in the disciplines of fighting and shooting. Present were Alessandra Perilli and Gian Marco Berti, winners at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics in the skeet shooting discipline who, together with Miles Amine, in the wrestling discipline, won the first three medals Olympic Games for the oldest Republic in the world. San Marino entered history as the least populous nation to have ever won the highest number of medals at the Olympics.

Another highlight on Day one was the Flagwavers and Medalists Evening Parade. An authentic and suggestive parade ventured around the streets of expo dressed in traditional medieval costumes, which included the crossbowmen along with noblewomen and noblemen, flag-wavers and musicians performing medieval songs and melodies using trumpets and drums along with the presence of the two olympic medalists. The elegance, the beauty, and the ability in their shows make the Republic of San Marino proud to be represented by them highlighting its oldest medieval heritage to the rest of the world.

San Marino’s National Day at Expo, 13th of February sees MSV + Giostremia Music in the Garden perform at Al Wasl Plaza. The ensemble was born from an all-female friendship story that binds the seven musicians of classical music education all together for the first time, for this extraordinary celebration of San Marino National Day in Dubai.

They interpret an unpublished repertoire of different musical genres, with strong theatrical combinations linked to Central European operetta, the French café chantant and Latin American rhythms. The proposed pieces are admirably adapted by the Master Marco Capicchioni who has exceptionally created a unique show performed for the first time at Expo Dubai.

The Official Ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza ceremony hosted by Expo 2020 Dubai was attended by delegations from San Marino and the United Arab Emirates. The ceremony, held at the jewel of Expo 2020 included the flag raising and speeches by the San Marino delegates and UAE institutions. This Instrumental moment was followed by performances that saw MSV + Giostremia and The Flagwavers Cultural Performersenthrall the audience.

The flag and some videos of San Marino were projected on the most spectacular 360′ screen of the world with the anthem as a soundtrack followed by a Flagwavers and medalists Evening Parade to conclude the celebrations.

Running until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 has invited visitors from across the planet in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture. The Expo has been an ideal platform for the Republic of San Marino officials to communicate and engage with partners, media and sponsors about the deep cultural and economic ties between San Marino and the UAE as well as helped strengthen crucial relationships to encourage more collaborations between the different countries and the Republic of San Marino.