His Excellency Shihab Alfaheem, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE Embassy to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka said: “The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka reflects our nation’s approach to shaping the future. It embodies resilience, openness and the ability to bring people together for collective progress. This is more than a showcase of achievement. It is a space where the world can come together to learn, collaborate and create new futures.”
The UAE’s return to Osaka holds deep symbolic and strategic meaning. It was in Osaka in 1970 that Abu Dhabi first participated in a World Expo. More than five decades later, the UAE returns as a global voice for cooperation and progress. The longstanding partnership between the UAE and Japan has grown steadily across sectors including energy, technology, education and culture. The UAE Pavilion is a tribute to that relationship and a platform for its continued growth.
His Excellency Shihab Alfaheem added, “As we return to the city where our Expo journey began, we carry with us not only our past but our vision for tomorrow. We thank the people of Japan for their continued friendship and look forward to six months of partnership, creativity and shared progress.”
As part of the leadership team guiding the UAE Pavilion journey to Expo 2025 Osaka, the UAE Expo Office has appointed Mariam Al Memari, Head of the UAE Expo Office, and Shaikha Al Ketbi, UAE Pavilion Creative Director, as Deputy Commissioners General of the Pavilion. In these roles, they will work alongside His Excellency Shihab Al Faheem to ensure that the Pavilion delivers an impactful national narrative, fosters meaningful global engagement, and brings to life the UAE’s vision for Expo 2025 as a platform for innovation, collaboration, and collective progress.
From Heritage to Innovation: A Pavilion Shaped by Global Collaboration
The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 is a testament to global collaboration, uniting Emirati, Japanese, and international expertise in a collective design process that merges tradition with innovation. Drawing inspiration from the iconic date palm, the pavilion reinterprets areesh—traditional Emirati vernacular architecture—by integrating agricultural date palm waste with masterful Japanese woodworking expertise. The Pavilion’s signature feature is a striking forest of 90 rachis columns, soaring up to 16 meters. The design sets the tone for a pavilion that represents a story of partnership, sustainability and shared creativity.
A Multisensory Journey of the UAE’s Story
Inside the pavilion, we share our national story, one of deep humanity and remarkable transformation-rooted in our values. Throughout the multi-sensorial experience, our guests will meet the people and innovators of the UAE who are shaping our future–the Explorers of Space, the Catalysts of Healthcare, and the Stewards of Sustainability. The experience culminates in a documentary installation titled "Woven Legacies,"-that brings our pavilion guests face to face with contemporary life in the United Arab Emirates.
Programming - A Platform for Global Exchange
Over the six-month duration, the UAE Pavilion will host opportunities for learning, collaboration and the co-creation of new futures through its curated calendar of more than 40 public-facing programmes. The Pavilion programming includes sustainable technology forums, healthcare dialogues, youth empowerment activities and discussions on space exploration and technological innovation and expands into Expo Osaka’s thematic weeks. Each experience reflects how tradition drives innovation, fostering a culture of open dialogue and inquiry.
UAE and Japanese Youth Ambassadors: Hosting by our future leaders
Guests of the Pavilion will be hosted by our Emirati and Japanese Youth Ambassadors. These passionate young Emirati and Japanese storytellers will guide visitors through a journey of discovery, bringing to life UAE innovations, culture, and collaborations on a global stage. Aged between 18-35, 24 Emirati, 20 Japanese, and 2 expatriates residing in Japan make up this year’s cohort— between them speaking a total of 7 languages, including Japanese, English, Arabic, Korean, Tagalog, French, and Mandarin.
