Its pavilion introduces visitors to the treasures of the Arab archipelago

Smells Festival at Expo Dubai... with the scent of vanilla and moonflowers

• The pavilion highlights a historical and cultural heritage, as well as promising investment opportunities.

  From the source

• Photography: Patrick Castillo

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Between the fragrant vanilla and the most famous “flower of flowers” ​​around the world, and under the slogan: “a flower is blooming”, the pavilion of the United Republic of the Comoros in the sustainability area of ​​“Expo 2020 Dubai”, re-acquaints the world with the charm of the small Arab country located in the Indian Ocean, close to The eastern coast of Africa, which is now open to visitors, many of whom are unaware of the richness of this archipelago, not only in terms of historical and civilizational heritage, but also in promising investment opportunities and enhanced cooperation to address sustainability issues.

From the experience of the folk industries that occupy a wide corner of the pavilion, tempting visitors to acquire some small souvenirs, and ending with the embroidery and display of traditional clothes with unique designs and bright colors, the “Moon” pavilion reflects from the first sight, the pride of this people in the Arab, Islamic and then African cultural and civilizational identity Especially, through the window of the local dress known as “chiromani”, which is famous for its intricate designs and the difficulty of implementing its inscriptions and overlapping shapes on silk fabrics decorated with its bright colors.

And embodiments of the cultural identity of this country flourish in the pavilion, by reviewing a large part of the lives of its residents, their daily customs and social traditions, which provided some details of the tradition of the famous “big wedding” parties that the people of the “moon” inherited throughout history until it became a well-established social tradition that reflects the social status of its owners. .

breezes

As the visitor's steps progress in the details of the suite, mixed and indistinguishable breezes are lost between the sides of the place. A real revolution around the world in the perfume industry, after its cultivation flourished in the Republic of the Comoros in particular thanks to the region’s known volcanic soil and tropical climate, to extract from it luxurious oil that is exported to be used by the most famous perfume houses around the world, while a large part of the population of this small island country lives To grow them, sticking to their activities, despite the challenges of climate change, betting on the future and on utilizing their resources in a sustainable manner.

The most expensive spice

On the opposite side of this festival, which is filled with the fascinating visual and sensory magic of the “ylang lang” flowers hanging from the pavilion’s ceiling, the pavilion visitor cannot leave it before diving into the experience of discovering the vanilla flower in its many stages, all the way to the black vanilla pods that “do not acquire their flavor until after their death” to top the The pride of local crops and the country’s basic exports, and then it occupies the list of the second most expensive spices around the world after saffron, with the unique aroma and flavor of the Comoros “vanilla” that it gained from its own cultivation patterns away from mass production on the one hand, and its crops that grow in a natural way that does not No chemicals are used.

On the other hand, in a vivid embodiment of the East Asian volcanic archipelago's care once again, the sub-theme of sustainability, which "Expo 2020 Dubai" wins.

Preserved treasures

Visitors can also discover more about the nature of the Republic of the Comoros and its diverse marine creatures, and unveil an endless list of endangered animal wealth and programs to protect their environments. Recycled, which topped the entrance to the exhibition.

While the experience of discovering green sea turtles, endangered with extinction, captured the attention of most of the exhibitors, as a result of the observed environmental deterioration of their concentration sites, which the pavilion shows in pictures, as well as the overfishing operations that these creatures are exposed to, which prompted the "moon" to strengthen efforts to protect them in havens. Safe alongside the giant “humpback whales” and the eight-finned prehistoric selakanth, which is rarely seen around the world except in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Republic of the Comoros only, and was believed to be extinct until 1938.

Sustainability first

In the details of its present pavilion on the list of the most attractive pavilions in the exhibition, the Republic of the Comor is not absent from the sustainability scene, one of the most basic topics at Expo 2020 Dubai, as this developing island country steadily records its role in promoting joint international cooperation, to address some sustainability issues. , especially in Africa, through the platform for meetings and developing partnerships that the World Expo presents to the participating countries, the pavilion of the United Republic of Comoros joins efforts to “build a sustainable future” by sharing common challenges such as protecting the environment, preserving the planet from threats and then mitigating the Some of the negative effects of the pandemic on African economies and creating a favorable business environment between the continent and the rest of the world.

• A miniature and attractive visual exhibition designed for charming marine animals, included in the pavilion, which attracts visitors to "Expo 2020 Dubai".

• The Moon Pavilion reflects, at first sight, the pride of the people of this country in the Arab, Islamic and then African cultural and civilizational identity.

• Black vanilla pods, which “do not acquire their flavor until they are dead,” occupies the list of the second most expensive spices around the world after saffron.