UAE shares its sustainability journey at International Horticultural Exhibition Floriade Expo 2022
The UAE Pavilion, entitled “Salt Water Cities: Where land meets sea” at the International Horticultural Exhibition Floriade Expo 2022 (Floriade) in the Netherlands, showcases how the UAE has overcome the challenging environment of desert and sea to grow thriving, sustainable cities.
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, heralded the UAE’s participation in this international forum and commented, “We are honoured to join Floriade Expo 2022 and share the UAE’s sustainability journey. Salt Water Cities: where land meets sea, demonstrates how the UAE has adapted to our desert environment and arid climate and how our commitment to conserving biodiversity and championing food and water security is driving socio-economic development through a sustainable lens.
She added, “Our ancestors and founding fathers addressed the limitations posed by our desert environment through a responsible use of natural resources – this resilience continues today as we work to strengthen our food security for the current and next generations.”
Jamal Al Musharrekh, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, serves as the Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilion at Floriade, which was officially opened on 14th April 2022.
Exhibiting for the first time at Floriade, the UAE Pavilion, which will receive visitors until 9th October, explores how the country is tackling the challenges of a landscape where water scarcity, scorching heat and saline soil make typical horticulture almost impossible to achieve sustainably.
Al Musharrekh added that Salt Water Cities showcases the UAE’s response to the Floriade theme of “growing green cities,” telling the story of a unique journey of optimism and resilience and how the people of the UAE have overcome the challenges of living in an ecotone of desert and sea to grow thriving, sustainable cities.
Commenting on the pavilion, the UAE Ambassador said, “The story of the UAE is one of ambition and collective progress, and we are honoured to host our inaugural pavilion at Floriade Expo 2022. Our extreme climate means that sustainability is intrinsic to our national identity and DNA.
“Salt Water Cities showcases how we live side-by-side with our environment by creating circular biosaline agriculture systems, as depicted in the UAE Pavilion garden, to encourage new innovations to address food and water security and make our cities more efficient, sustainable and resilient. By sharing the stories and knowledge of the UAE’s innovators and plants, we hope to contribute solutions to build a better tomorrow.
“We are proud to present our response to how to grow greener cities and look forward to creating deeper connections with, and seeking inspiration from, our fellow participants at Floriade.”
The UAE Pavilion at Floriade Expo 2022 guest experience begins with a saltwater garden inspired by the circular bio saline agriculture systems created in the UAE. The exhibition features halophyte plants that can thrive in the UAE’s saltwater environment – salicornia, quinoa, mangroves, microalgae and seagrass.
On the opening day, the Commissioner-General was joined by the Mayor of Almere, representatives from the Netherlands and the creatives who contributed to the UAE Pavilion at Floriade, including Tellart, a Dutch-based company that co-designed the Pavilion exhibition in partnership with the UAE-based Pragma, the architects of the saltwater garden.
Among the attendees were also representatives from Aectual, a Dutch-based company that creates tailor-made, circular interior objects and architectural systems through innovative 3D printing techniques, re-using materials.
Maia Garau, Strategy Director from Tellart, said, “We are inspired by the innovators and academics in the UAE who are searching in nature for answers to global challenges, and Tellart is grateful to co-create with our friends in the UAE to contribute to the design of the pavilion. We hope the pavilion transports visitors to the ecotone of the UAE as they are immersed in the unique magic of an environment where the desert meets sea.”
WAM
