Dubai Expo City has wrapped up another successful year marked by a busy agenda of global gatherings, notable celebrations, and cultural events. The site welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors and hosted over 75 significant events. Looking ahead, the city is preparing to collaborate with the nearby Dubai Exhibition Centre to host even more events, conferences, and forums focusing on culture, arts, education, and sustainability in 2026, reinforcing its role as a vibrant hub for global experiences and cultural exchange.
Scholto Douglas-Hume, the CEO of Sales, Marketing, and Communications for Dubai Expo City, stated, “Dubai Expo City has solidified its leading position in event hosting and management this year, serving as a global platform uniting innovators, leaders, and change-makers. We will continue to build on this momentum to enhance Dubai’s pioneering status in the conference, exhibition, and event sectors, leveraging our strategic location and diverse spaces for organizing and hosting events, alongside the rapidly expanding Dubai Exhibition Centre.”
Leadership and Sustainability
Dubai Expo City hosted the Global Cities Summit, bringing together hundreds of city leaders and mayors representing over 300 cities worldwide to collaborate on advancing sustainable and inclusive urban development. The event attracted over 1,500 participants and initiated urban investment opportunities worth USD 9 billion, highlighting Dubai’s pivotal role as a global business and conference hub.
Among the notable events hosted by Dubai Expo were the Sustainable Destinations Forum and the 13th Annual Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) Summit, which convened decision-makers and innovators to promote responsible tourism, clean energy, and climate solutions. In line with its commitment to environmental conservation, Dubai Expo unveiled the first International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) species survival center dedicated to fungi in Terra, aimed at contributing to biodiversity protection. Earlier this year, the late Dr. Jane Goodall left a significant mark during her visit to the Terra pavilion, inaugurating the Jane Goodall Pollinator Garden, a sanctuary that raises awareness about the crucial role of pollinators in the environment.
Cultural Heritage
This year, Dubai Expo City celebrated the holy month with the ‘Ramadan Hub’ event and hosted the second edition of the ‘Diyafah Dubai’ exhibition, showcasing Emirati light art, along with national celebrations for the UAE’s National Day. The Expo City also began a new chapter dedicated to art, culture, and authenticity with the opening of the Art House in collaboration with the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. Located in the former Morocco Pavilion, the Art House hosts exhibitions, workshops, and creative events in an innovative space merging unique artistic visions.
Entertainment and Experiences
The season commenced with the Harvest Festival aimed at supporting sustainable practices in collaboration with local farms, fostering community ties through family activities on weekends. This excitement continued through the first-ever Cake Festival in the region, which featured the concluding leg of the global “Cake Picnic” tour that began in the United States, attracting visitors to showcase their baking creativity and enjoy delectable treats outdoors. This was followed by Winter City shows at the Plaza, one of the whimsical celebrations that welcomed 38,000 visitors in its opening week, marking the event’s strongest launch since its inception in 2022.
As the year comes to a close, attendees are looking forward to the “Carols by Candlelight” performance, offering captivating shows for audiences of all ages under the dome of the Plaza. The Plaza will also host a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration, featuring live entertainment, DJ music, and countdowns at two times: at 9:00 PM suitable for children and midnight for everyone else.
Women and Empowerment
The Women Pavilion has become a vibrant space for opportunities, supporting women’s empowerment through a return-to-work program designed to help them re-enter the job market. The program attracted nearly 1,000 registrations and saw an average participation of 400 women in each training session. Furthering this initiative, the pavilion launched the first FemTech hackathon in alignment with International Day of Women and Girls in Science, drawing over 100 innovative proposals. A total of 46 students from 23 schools were selected to present bold solutions addressing women’s health issues. The pavilion also hosted Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiatives, International Women’s Day, and Emirati Women’s Day celebrations.
Educational Experiences
Hundreds of thousands of visitors of all ages flocked to the Terra pavilion and Alif Pavilion to engage with a rich schedule of events and workshops. The visits included attendance at over 25 events encompassing exhibitions, activities, and seasonal camps filled with entertainment for ages 5 to 12, in addition to global Nature Challenge, Bee Festival, and Fantasy Forest Festival.
Community and Sports
In alignment with its commitment to promoting health and wellness within the community, Dubai Expo continues to support initiatives that encourage an active lifestyle through events such as the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, the Bokari Sweet 2025 Race, the She Run women’s race, and the Emirates NBD Unity Run, attracting over 20,000 participants and visitors of various ages and skill levels.
Global Events
Reinforcing its status as a global venue for events, Dubai Expo has been selected to host several gatherings for prominent brands throughout 2025, including the Sefooria Beauty event. At the Future Human event in Mind Valley, personal development coaches like Steven Bartlett and Jay Shetty convened, while the Plaza showcased the global dance performance HoliGard Fire alongside renowned pianist Steven Ridley.
Dubai Expo City is gearing up for 2026 with an array of exciting events including GITEX 2026 and the World Health Exhibition. As property deliveries commence in the second half of next year, the city remains committed to being a vibrant, people-centered, and sustainable destination with more innovative expansion plans on the horizon.