DUBAI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Australia will take part in the Expo 2020 Dubai to "promote its culture and innovative spirit" to a global audience, Australian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Arthur Spyrou said Thursday.
Australia's participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai underlines its close links with the UAE in areas including tourism, education and business, UAE state news agency WAM reported.
"Australia is a longstanding friend and partner of the UAE, and we are proud to have played a part in the Dubai success story so far, while intending to play a positive role in its future," Spyrou said.
Under the theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future," the Expo 2020 Dubai will run for over six months from October 2020 until April 2021. It will be the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.
It will enable the country to strengthen trade and two-way investment with nations from around the world, the WAM reported.
Reem Al Hashimy, UAE minister of state for international cooperation and director-general of Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said Expo 2020 Dubai "will be a celebration of ingenuity and collaboration between nations from around the world that will have a lasting impact on human progress."
The expo's main arena, located near Dubai's new airport Al Maktoum International, is expected to attract a record of 25 million visitors, 70 percent of whom coming from outside the UAE.
It aims to bring together 180 countries, 170 of which have already either publically or privately confirmed their participation, WAM reported.