The Monaco Pavilion’s mini version in the European principality has been officially inaugurated, with Prince Albert II of Monaco and Expo 2020 director general, Reem Al Hashimy, marking the occasion together.

In a virtual conversation conducted via interactive booths – one in the Monaco pavilion and the other at the Monaco ‘Mini’ Pavilion in Port Hercules – the prince congratulated Al Hashimy on the successful opening ceremony of the event and completion of its first week.

Al Hashimy expressed her gratitude for Monaco and all participating countries for their commitment to the expo, highlighting the need for collaboration in order to make progress on urgent priorities such as sustainability.

The mini pavilion offers augmented reality headsets that allow visitors in Monaco to experience all areas of their country’s a gem-like, polygonal pavilion – inspired by the ‘Rock of Monaco’ – in Dubai.

Samira Jawhar, director, Monaco pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai, explained that the pavilion at Expo reflects an important environmental message, with solar panels on its exterior powering the building throughout the six-month mega-event.

Spanning an area of 1,700 square metres and extending to a height of 12 metres, the pavilion provides a comprehensive introduction to the city of Monaco, including its tourism and business opportunities.

It has welcomed visitors of different ages and nationalities since opening, Jawhar said, with visitors particularly interested in Monaco’s research and technology, as well as its environment and architectural initiatives.