Qatar 365 walks you through the Expo 2023 Doha. 80 countries are participating in this six-month-long international horticultural exhibition. With 'Greener Desert, Better Environment' as a theme, participants showcase innovative and sustainable solutions to fight desertification.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 (water trickling)
00:03 - It's not only Italy facing global warming
00:05 and greenhouse effect problems,
00:08 it's everyone is on the same planet.
00:10 - We want to see Qatar fully green
00:12 and we want to see it happening by the community here.
00:15 - Hello, welcome to Qatar 365 with me, Adil Halim.
00:23 On this episode, we've come to Expo 2023 Doha,
00:26 where 80 countries are participating
00:28 in the six month long horticulture exhibition.
00:32 It's the first time a country with a desert climate
00:34 is hosting the global event of this theme
00:36 that began more than 50 years ago.
00:39 To get us started, I got a chance to look at some
00:41 of the latest advancements in agriculture,
00:43 sustainability and the environment.
00:45 Welcome to Japan in Qatar.
00:51 These iconic bonsai trees have traveled
00:53 more than 8,000 kilometers to Expo 2023 Doha.
00:57 Inside the Japanese pavilion,
00:59 the bonsai masters are demonstrating
01:01 the ancient cultural art.
01:03 - The very special thing is about the shape
01:06 into the different form.
01:09 And the Japanese people spend lots of time
01:11 and efforts and minds to create or make the tree form
01:16 in the way they like.
01:17 - The pavilion's director says the Japanese
01:20 take great pride in their culture.
01:22 - If you haven't been to the country,
01:24 you kind of want to see, that's what it is, right?
01:26 That's the beauty of Expo.
01:28 - From famous Japanese plants in one pavilion
01:32 to Italian engineered hydroponic gardens in another.
01:36 - This is the floating system.
01:37 It looks like a small pool.
01:38 Underneath the floating platform,
01:41 there is, as you can see, there is water.
01:43 And again, the roots are exposed to the water.
01:47 So very simple, very effective.
01:51 And the water has to be replaced only once per year.
01:54 - Matteo Anderson points to the vertical
01:56 and horizontal hydroponic trees and walls
01:59 found in the Italian pavilion.
02:01 - The technology might look very simple,
02:02 but it's very, very effective.
02:05 For example, just to give you a brief overview,
02:07 the hydroponic trees here will be using the same water
02:10 over and over in an infinite circle.
02:13 So there is no waste.
02:14 - Next door, the Turkish pavilion is inspired
02:17 by the traditional houses found
02:19 in the country's Black Sea region.
02:21 All seven regions of Turkey are represented.
02:24 - Marmara region, when you push the button,
02:27 you can get our traditional folkloric music
02:30 and you can watch the, you can get information from video.
02:34 - Each participating country is showing
02:36 their agricultural tools and techniques.
02:38 - They can expect everything, actually,
02:40 not only agriculture items.
02:43 We are showing our hospitality, our food culture.
02:48 - Organizers say it'll take innovative solutions
02:50 to address agricultural and environmental challenges,
02:53 such as sustainability, climate change,
02:56 and desertification.
02:57 Some of the answers may very well be found here
03:00 among the innovative horticultural techniques
03:02 designed to turn deserts into green paradises.
03:05 One such country that knows the challenges
03:07 of desertification all too well is Jordan.
03:11 - Jordan has a vast land of deserts.
03:12 Throughout our history, we did a lot of efforts
03:15 to challenge this harsh environment.
03:17 - The Jordanian pavilion takes visitors
03:19 on a journey of the country's biodiversity.
03:21 - I do believe that the most surprising information
03:24 that all the plants that surround us here
03:26 were brought from Jordan, and this is really stunning.
03:30 - From semi-arid desert climates
03:33 to mountainous terrains of European countries
03:35 like Switzerland, everyone has their own
03:38 unique environmental challenges.
03:40 - Qatar, with its Vision 2030, really makes an effort
03:43 to reach sustainability goals, so we definitely wanted
03:47 to be a part of that project.
03:50 And to realize the importance of fighting climate change
03:54 in a way that is accessible and that is interesting
03:57 to visitors, and I think the Expo is the perfect project
04:00 and the perfect place for that.
04:02 (upbeat music)
04:04 - Now let's go behind the scenes
04:06 to meet Expo 2023's Secretary General.
04:09 While the overarching theme is "Green Desert,
04:11 Better Tomorrow," Mohamed Ali Al-Khoury says
04:14 the exhibition will tackle agricultural concerns
04:17 that affect farmers, not only in desert climates,
04:20 but worldwide.
04:21 - 80 countries will be represented here at Al-Bida Park.
04:26 Are you hopeful this will lead
04:27 to more cross-cultural understanding?
04:29 (Mohamed speaking in foreign language)
04:34 - While this is a global event, there's also a local benefit.
04:59 Qatari farm owners will learn from the expertise,
05:01 technologies, and experiences of their peers
05:04 in neighboring countries.
05:06 Why is this important?
05:07 (Mohamed speaking in foreign language)
05:11 (upbeat music)
05:15 (Mohamed speaking in foreign language)
05:20 (upbeat music)
05:22 - You've said that there needs to be more initiatives
05:48 for farmers, especially here in the Gulf,
05:50 where the temperatures are high and the soil is poor.
05:52 What are you hoping will come about this?
05:54 (Mohamed speaking in foreign language)
05:59,
06:28 - Now, of course, we're in a desert,
06:30 but there's gonna be more initiatives
06:32 to make this more green, right?
06:34 So from more parks to planting, I think,
06:36 10 million trees by 2030.
06:39 What are some of the initiatives you're most excited about?
06:41 (Mohamed speaking in foreign language)
06:46 (upbeat music)
06:48 (Mohamed speaking in foreign language)
06:53,
06:55,
07:21 (upbeat music)
07:23 - As the host country of the Horticultural Expo,
07:26 Qatar has pulled out all the stops for a dazzling display.
07:29 This is the Qatari Pavilion.
07:31 Five zones take visitors on a learning journey
07:34 through the country's biodiversity and heritage
07:36 while celebrating its commitment to a sustainable future.
07:40 Laila Humaira looks at some of the green initiatives
07:42 Qatar is spearheading against the event's backdrop.
07:45 - Inspired by iconic rock formations of Raza Brook,
07:52 Qatar's pavilion at the Expo 2023 Qatar is spectacular.
07:57 The grand facade is a homage
07:59 to Qatar's natural landscape and desert heritage.
08:03 At the heart of the expo was where IRFNA,
08:05 Qatar Foundation's leading sustainability research
08:08 and advocacy center,
08:10 held its yearly dialogue on climate change.
08:12 A big topic this year was bio crude,
08:17 a synthetic fuel that could be a sustainable replacement
08:21 for petroleum and a game changer for the industry.
08:25 - This is somewhere we can invest in research
08:28 and development to make it available at the level of Qatar
08:31 and also at the bigger cities around the region.
08:34 So turning like no wastewater into a fuel
08:37 is something very important to Qatar.
08:39 - Another big buzzword, artificial intelligence,
08:42 specifically how AI tools can help mitigate climate change.
08:46 - We have plenty of projects related to transportation,
08:51 optimization, the use of AI in cooling,
08:55 related to the carbon reduction rate
08:58 because they are really smart and efficient thanks to the AI.
09:01 So we are trying to use them in the country
09:03 for all the applications like food security, vertical farms.
09:08 - There's no better place to hold an international dialogue
09:11 on climate change and no better time to put words into action.
09:16 IRFNA is also responsible
09:18 for Qatar's annual sustainability week
09:21 and hosts events and activities to promote
09:24 and encourage environmentally friendly
09:26 and sustainable practices.
09:28 Here at the Hinat Salma farm, 30 kilometers from Doha,
09:32 Vedora Care is helping Qatar's green desert grow
09:35 by combining tree planting and impactful gifting.
09:39 - We need to change the way people give gifts
09:41 by making it more impactful
09:43 where they can get engaged with gifting,
09:45 they can feel connected to gifting.
09:48 - Not only does each tree have its own unique code,
09:51 its geolocation and growth can be tracked
09:53 on an online platform.
09:55 - We are using blockchain technology.
09:57 We are using artificial intelligence and satellite mapping
10:00 which has never been done before in Qatar.
10:03 - Vedora Care focuses on planting indigenous trees
10:06 like the Sidra plant,
10:07 which not only helps with enriching Qatar's biodiversity
10:11 but has been used for centuries
10:13 for its natural medicinal qualities.
10:15 - Sidra is a iconic symbol of Qatar's heritage
10:19 and Sidra has been growing in the desert for generations.
10:23 The leaves of Sidra is actually anti-inflammatory.
10:26 We want to see Qatar fully green.
10:28 We want to see all the corporates, all the schools,
10:31 all the people here joining hands for a common cause
10:34 and that is tree planting.
10:35 - Back in the capital,
10:37 Qatar Museums is continuing efforts
10:39 to plant the seeds of sustainable living in the young.
10:43 Today, the National Museum of Qatar is using art
10:46 to teach concepts like recycling and composting
10:49 to students as young as 10,
10:51 which may seem like complex concepts at their age
10:55 but organizers believe that art is a good place to start.
10:59 - Art is a universal language
11:00 where you can speak complex solutions in an easier way.
11:04 Even in art, there are a lot of activities
11:05 that are being held by Qatar Museums
11:07 to promote sustainability like reusing of materials,
11:10 recycling of materials, making art out of waste.
11:13 - Through expressing their thoughts on a blank canvas,
11:16 these students paint a clear picture of the world
11:18 they want to live in,
11:20 one they will leave for their children
11:23 and generations to come.
11:24 So whether it's through a gift or artwork,
11:28 Qatar is building its sustainable future from the ground up,
11:32 showing that no act is too small to make an impact.
11:36 - From raising environmental awareness
11:40 to coming up with innovative solutions
11:42 for sustainability challenges,
11:43 the foundation is in place for a greener tomorrow.
11:47 And that's all the time we have for now.
11:48 For more, check out euronews.com
11:50 and connect with us through our hashtag.
11:52 Thanks for watching.
11:53 I will see you next time on Qatar 365.
11:56 (upbeat music)
11:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]