The delegation of the Vitebsk region presented the region at the World Expo in Dubai
The official delegation of the region, headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Oleg Matskevich, included heads of FEZ "Vitebsk", SO "Vitebsk Concern "Meat and Dairy Products", as well as about ten leading enterprises of the light industry, petrochemical complex, woodworking, manufacturers of electrical products and IT technologies.
The "Expo" exhibition is held every five years and is one of the largest events in the exhibition industry on the planet, where participating countries present their latest achievements, inventions, and technologies. Last year, it was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was postponed to the current year. The central theme of the exposition in the national pavilion is defined as "The Forest of Future Technologies". The goal is to present Belarus as a country not only with rich natural resources but also with a high level of human potential development, which in turn is the basis for creating innovative products. And the presentation of the Vitebsk region confirmed these semantic constructions with the specifics of the country's northern region today.
As reported by the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Economy of the Regional Executive Committee Konstantin Cherny, the delegation members presented the trade, economic, industrial, and investment potential of the Vitebsk region, and presented opportunities for cooperation in the tourism sector. Special emphasis was placed on the climatic features and natural resources of the region, which creates a reliable basis, in particular, for the development of health tourism and the creation of appropriate infrastructure, taking into account Asian cultural characteristics.
— First and foremost, this is an image-building event that provides an opportunity to present the Vitebsk region and Belarus as a whole as a reliable and promising partner. Visitors from different countries will have the opportunity to learn more about our national identity, historical and cultural heritage, and appreciate our achievements. It is also a platform for finding strategic partners, new sales markets, and attracting investments, particularly in high-tech and knowledge-intensive industries, — noted Konstantin Cherny. Furthermore, participation in "Expo" allows for studying international experience in developing promising technologies and adapting enterprises to new formats of international trade and business operations.
Visitors to the Belarusian pavilion learned about the operational features and preferential regime of Belarusian free economic zones, and about the economic and logistical potential of the FEZ "Vitebsk". As reported by the FEZ administration, Priyansh Jha, the official representative of FEZ "Vitebsk" in Asia and the Middle East, actively assists in promoting the investment opportunities of the Vitebsk region in the Asian region. As a result, business representatives from the Asian region showed interest in implementing investment projects in the FEZ "Vitebsk", particularly in the production of fire-fighting equipment, which was confirmed by the signing of protocols of intent.
For JSC "Polotsk-Steklovolokno", which operates with dozens of countries on five continents, participation in the exhibition is intended to emphasize its commitment to developing partnerships and will contribute to increasing brand recognition, as noted by the joint-stock company's marketing department. Positioning a high level of production is important for a company that sets ambitious production goals and is constantly focused on diversifying sales markets.
The Belvest holding used the Expo platform to promote robotic hardware and software complexes produced by one of the holding's participants, LLC "LACIT". Based on integrated robotic solutions, the company is creating a new generation digital factory and is already exploring opportunities for exporting technological solutions that may become the holding's main product in the future.
According to the Belarusian Embassy in the UAE, during the presentation of the Vitebsk region, negotiations were also held with Emirati trade partners. Cooperation in the field of tourism, supplies of Belarusian dairy products to the UAE and other countries of the region, and the implementation of joint projects in the petrochemical industry were discussed.
The participation of the Vitebsk region did not end there. For guests and visitors of the Belarusian pavilion, the ensemble of dance, music, and song "Talaka" of the regional philharmonic society became a unique guide to national culture. It should be noted that the Vitebsk ensemble is an experienced player in international cultural diplomacy. The trip to Expo in Dubai is the third in the ensemble's biography, which has also represented our country at the World Expos in Shanghai (2010) and Milan (2015). This time, the program was based on Belarusian folk songs and dance compositions that most vividly represented the traditions of national culture. For the trip, the ensemble also prepared a surprise by including two songs in Arabic in its repertoire.
"It was important not only to present the best examples of national cultural tradition but also to ensure visual diversity of presentation and set the right tone for the work of the entire Belarusian pavilion," noted Elena Podolyak, Director of the State Concert Institution "Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic Society."
Considering that the exhibition is primarily an image event, representatives of the creative industry became important participants of the Vitebsk delegation at the international platform in the UAE, which will conclude its work on March 31, 2022.