“Because participation makes a difference” With this slogan and with great determination, volunteers at Expo 2020 Dubai are committed to delivering the best they have to contribute to the success of the global event to be hosted by the UAE and presenting the most beautiful image of Dubai, expressing their pride that they will be part of the industry. The number one that Dubai is not satisfied with less.

The volunteers, who the Emirates Today met, belong to different categories, ages and backgrounds. Some of them are students, others are employees, there are also retirees, and all meet on the same will, the desire to participate in writing the chapters of the largest event in Dubai, to be part of its success story. Waiting.

Perfect opportunity

Hamad Al Awadi is a member of the Smart Dubai Government. He said that the experience will bring him many benefits, starting from mixing with different cultures, as it is an ideal opportunity to paint a true image of the UAE and transfer to the world.

He pointed out that participation in «Expo 2020» will undoubtedly allow him to look forward to the best in the field of work, saying that the promotion of the status of giving in the community is very important, and this program develops that capacity, which makes it intersects with the value of tolerance and the general in the UAE.

For her part, Shiva Al Jasmi turned to participate because she liked the concept of volunteering, stressing her desire to leave her mark and learn what is new from experience.

Shiva, who joined the program in 2017 and at the time the equipment was in its infancy, where volunteers were gathered and trained to be part of the event, said she was working on digital content on YouTube and social media, a world that may seem far from Expo. But she is confident that the experience will add to it a lot on the professional and humanitarian levels. She encouraged young people to volunteer, not only for the positive feeling that would be reflected on them, but also because the initiative would give them untapped experiences elsewhere.

The story of Musab

Musab Al Balooshi, who works in Abu Dhabi and lives in Al Ain, volunteered to participate in the event, disregarding the distances he traveled, expressing his delight at the time spent in volunteering.

He explained that «his story in this field began many years ago, as he believes that the human is committed to do a lot of voluntary work, and that his participation is part of giving back to the homeland, and what he gave to all».

He added that he started volunteering since 2012 and is ready to give all his previous experiences in volunteering for this international exhibition, especially since he has great skills in the field of volunteering outside the country, including (Formula 1) in America ». He praised the Expo 2020 Dubai Volunteer Rehabilitation Plan, which he has not seen in other events.

Retired Engineer

Mohammed Al Hammadi, a retired engineer, joined the volunteer program for more than one reason, he told Emirates Today, first for the same value of volunteering, which highlights the cohesion of society, and secondly because the exhibition is global.

He said that «there is a feeling that can not be described, and felt only by the volunteer himself, providing free service, and received part of the beautiful to the country gives one a state of happiness». He added that he seeks to develop this beautiful value in the hearts of his children, because giving gives one more happiness than taking, pointing out that the volunteering experience at Expo 2020 Dubai will give the participant a lot of experiences that can not be obtained elsewhere.

Add the character

Kholoud Omar has been passionate about volunteering since she was a university student and participated in the Expo Kazakhstan, and she knew through this experience the importance of the event, although it was small compared to the Expo 2020 Dubai.

She added that she has “experienced many stages in the volunteer program in Dubai and that although she has participated in other major events, she felt the need for her presence at this event.”

“Everyone should experience volunteering at least once in life,” she said. “It adds personality, changes views in life, and encourages young people to engage in volunteerism.”

Tender experience

Noha al-Silawi volunteered at Expo 2020 Dubai three years ago and learned a lot from this experience, which she described as remarkable, pointing out that when she started as a student, she has now completed her studies.

Noha, a Jordanian born in the UAE, said her participation in the volunteer program was a kind of giving back to the country, stressing, as many volunteers, that the experience of giving without waiting for one gives special happiness, as people learned how to delight others without thinking about the differences in Nationality, identity and language, it is an ideal way to break down barriers and self-discovery, she put it.

Tasks and interviews

Photo: Mustapha Kasmi

Abeer Al Hosani, director of Expo 2020's volunteer program, told Emirates Today that the program has interviewed 12,000 people to date, noting that 80,000 applications have been made and 30,000 volunteers will be welcomed.

She explained that «the selection mechanism is through the meeting of volunteers for a period not exceeding 15 minutes, and this interview aims to put the expertise in the right place», pointing out that the program welcomes all experiences and ages, as well as people with determination, as they are trained later.

As for the tasks and roles that the volunteers will perform, Al-Hosani stated that 40 of them have been identified to date, from the reception, through the technical aspect, to explaining the content to the visitors in the different pavilions. She stressed that there is flexibility in the timing of attendance, as it coordinates with the participants, and a minimum can volunteer for two weeks.

She said that «volunteers are preparing for the event training, and then they will receive uniforms and card that entitles them to enter the site and schedules, and other things that will be put at the end of this year».

Bulk assignments will be performed by volunteers, including reception, and explaining content to visitors in different pavilions.

Participants in the volunteer program are students, others are employees, and there are also retirees.

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One thousand volunteers will participate in the organization of Expo 2020 Dubai.