Which were the best pavilions at Expo 2020? Here are the winners

Split into five different categories according to the size and type of pavilion, the Official Participant Awards recognise three aspects of pavilions: Architecture and landscape (for self-built pavilions only), exhibition design, and theme interpretation. A total of 51 gold, silver and bronze awards were handed out during the ceremony, which took place at the Jubilee Park on the Expo 2020 Dubai site.

Below is the list of all recipients:

Architecture and Landscape

• Self-built pavilions: Category A (larger than 2,500m2)

Gold: Saudi Arabia

Silver: Switzerland

Bronze: China

• Self-built pavilions: Category B (between 1,750m2 and 2,500m2)

Gold: Netherlands

Silver: Austria

Bronze: Gulf Cooperation Council

• Self-built pavilions: Category C (smaller than 1,750m2)

Gold: Singapore

Silver: Finland

Bronze: Qatar

Exhibition Design

• Self-built pavilions: Category A (larger than 2,500m2)

Gold: Japan

Silver: Pakistan

Bronze: Spain

• Self-built pavilions: Category B (between 1,750m2 and 2,500m2)

Gold: Peru

Silver: Poland

Bronze: Egypt

• Self-built pavilions: Category C (smaller than 1,750m2)

Gold: Morocco

Silver: Algeria

Bronze: Palestine

• Rented pavilions:

Gold: Mexico

Silver: Latvia

Bronze: Montenegro

• Thematic District pavilions: Opportunity

Gold: Tonga

Silver: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Bronze: Fiji

• Thematic District pavilions: Sustainability

Gold: Seychelles

Silver: Cambodia

Bronze: Suriname

• Thematic District pavilions: Mobility

Gold: Holy See

Silver: Cote d’Ivoire

Bronze: Jamaica

Theme Interpretation

• Self-built pavilions: Category A (larger than 2,500m2)

Gold: Germany

Silver: Kazakhstan

Bronze: Italy

• Self-built pavilions: Category B (between 1,750m2 and 2,500m2)

Gold: Oman

Silver: Hungary

Bronze: Sweden

• Self-built pavilions: Category C (smaller than 1,750m2)

Gold: Malaysia

Silver: Lithuania

Bronze: Colombia

• Rented pavilions:

Gold: Syria

Silver: Gabon

Bronze: Vietnam

• Thematic District pavilions: Opportunity

Gold: Rwanda

Silver: Ethiopia

Bronze: Kyrgyzstan

• Thematic District pavilions: Sustainability

Gold: Yemen

Silver: Guinea

Bronze: Comoros

• Thematic District pavilions: Mobility

Gold: El Salvador

Silver: Moldova

Bronze: Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

BIE Medals and Innovation Awards:

The BIE Medals and Innovation Awards recognise the organisations and individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the success of the Expo.

The Gold Medal, the BIE’s highest honour, was awarded to:

• The Government of UAE, accepted by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner-General of Expo 2020 Dubai.

• The Government of Dubai, accepted by Abdulla Al Basti, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Dubai.

The Higher Committee of Expo 2020 Dubai:

• Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline & Group, and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee.

• Mohammed Al Shaibani, Director General of HH The Ruler’s Court of Dubai, UAE.

• Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai.

• Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology.

• Lieutenant General Abdullah Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police.

• Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan Higher Committee and Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

• Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy & Tourism.

• Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism.

• Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties.

• Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman - Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects.

• Eng Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality.

Expo 2020 Dubai Key Stakeholders:

• Maj. Gen. Talal Hamid Belhoul, Director-General of the State Security Department, Dubai.

• Lieutenant General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai.

• Maj. Gen. Rashid Al Matrooshi, Director-General of Dubai Civil Defence.

• Dr. Amer Sharif, Chair of the Dubai Covid-19 Command and Control Centre.

• Dr. Hanan Al Suwaidi, Chair of Testing stream at the Covid-19 Command and Control Centre.

• Ahmad Musabih, Director General, Dubai Customs.

• Maj. Gen. Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National Service and Reserve Authority.

• Khalifa Al Darrai, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services.

• Khalid Belhoul, Undersecretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UAE.

• Mohammad Abdulla Al Junaibi, Chairman of the Federal Protocol and Strategic Narrative Authority, Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

• Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Chairman of Protocols for the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Dubai Protocol.

• International Participants of Expo 2020 Dubai, accepted by Mr Manuel Salchli Chairman of the College of Commissioners General.

The Silver Medal was awarded to:

• Volunteers of Expo 2020 Dubai, accepted by Marjan Faraidooni, Chief of HR and Visitor Experience, Expo 2020 Dubai.

• Youth of the United Arab Emirates, accepted by H.E. Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth, United Arab Emirates.

• Press & Media, accepted by Mona Al-Marri, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office.

UAE Innovates Awards:

The UAE Innovates Awards, an initiative first launched in February 2021 to celebrate innovative ideas in the UAE, dedicates awards to the Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions that have showcased impressive innovations with regards to Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.

The Best Innovation that Achieves Sustainability was awarded to:

• The Netherlands Pavilion for the Vertical Farm

• Italy Pavilion for its ISO 20121 sustainability certification

The Best Innovation that Creates Opportunity was awarded to:

• The Czech Republic Pavilion for the S.A.W.E.R. water production system

• Tunisia Pavilion for the P-Guard autonomous patrolling robot

The Best Innovation that Drives Mobility was awarded to:

• Saudi Arabia Pavilion for its inclined lifts

• Sweden Pavilion for the Incedo security system

Awarding participation is a longstanding tradition of Expos, dating back to the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London — the first World Expo. After a pause during which Expos did not feature awards, they were reintroduced ahead of Expo 2005 Aichi.

Organised under the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region. It is the largest global gathering to take place since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, gathering more than 190 countries from around the world and having registered 23 million visits since it opened on October 1, 2021.