Colombia, conocida por su riqueza y abundancia de productos, participó en Gulfood 2022, el mayor evento anual de abastecimiento de alimentos y bebidas del Oriente Medio.
El evento, realizado del 13 al 17 de febrero de 2022, fue una plataforma para que los aliados del pabellón de Colombia promovieran sus productos y exploraran diversas oportunidades de asociación e inversión, para ampliar el alcance internacional del sector de alimentos y bebidas del país.
Nueve empresas de Colombia mostraron sus últimas innovaciones y oportunidades en la industria alimentaria del país, especialmente para productos básicos como la carne de vacuno, el cacao, el café, las frutas y otros superalimentos.
Los aliados del Pabellón, participantes en Gulfood, fueron Fedegan (carne), Friogan (carne), Daabon (frutas, aceite, agricultura sostenible) Nutresa (cacao, café), Colombina (dulces) y Nativa (frutas). La Cámara de Comercio con las empresas: Selvática, Sommet (agua), La Gufanda (café).
En su periodo de participación en la Expo 2020, el Pabellón de Colombia ha recibido más de 300 empresas colombianas de diferentes sectores de la economía como agricultura, ganadería y pesca, textiles, floricultura, industrias manufactureras, construcción, comercio, salud, minas, energía, servicios financieros, educación, turismo, tecnología y emprendimientos creativos, que han expuesto sus productos y realizado acciones de promoción de negocios.
Desde el inicio de la exposición universal ha contado con la presencia de aliados del gobierno como la Presidencia, la Cancillería de Colombia, Ministerio de Hacienda, Ministerio de Comercio, Ministerio de Tecnología de Información y Comunicaciones, Ministerio de Hacienda, Ministerio de Comercio,Ministerio de Educación, Ministerio de Agricultura, Ministerio de Ambiente, Ministerio de Cultura y Ministerio de Vivienda.
Así mismo recibió las regiones de Cundinamarca, Risaralda, Antioquia, Valle del Cauca y Tolima, y a los representantes de gobierno y empresarios de Medellín, Cali, Cartagena, Bogotá, del Rap Eje Cafetero, el Paisaje Cultural Cafetero y el municipios de Carmen de Viboral.
Durante su paso por Expo 2020 Dubái las entidades del sector público y privado, han sostenido agendas que incluyen conferencias, workshops y reuniones, con el fin de encontrar oportunidades de asociación e inversión, y lograr intercambio de conocimientos con organizaciones y empresarios de Emiratos Árabes y la región.
Durante lo corrido de la Exposición Universal de Dubái, el pabellón de Colombia se ha caracterizado no sólo por ser el más acogedor de toda la feria, sino también por toda su riqueza artística y cultural.
Artistas de diversas regiones del territorio colombiano, además de una gran cantidad de manifestaciones musicales tan variadas como la salsa, la zumba, la música caribeña, llanera y electrónica, además de una cartelera de cine colombiano, se han presentado tanto en el Pabellón de Colombia como en algunos otros escenarios de gran relevancia dentro de la Expo 2020.
Como parte de las celebraciones, la Ministra de Cultura de Colombia, Angélica María Mayolo Obregón, resaltó el papel de la cultura para resaltar la riqueza y el potencial de Colombia en escenarios internacionales.
Además de las activaciones con zumba y, salsa y Carnaval de Barranquilla, el pabellón ha contado con la presencia de artistas como:
Ensálsate
Grupo musical del valle del cauca, famoso por su manera acrobática de bailar este ritmo musical
Guarura
Grupo musical femenino Guarura interpretará Joropo, un género musical colombiano caracterizado principalmente por los sonidos del arpa, capachos o maracas, bandola, bandolín, tiple, bandolón y guitarra.
Julio Victoria
Julio Victoria, uno de los productores más influyentes en la escena de la música electrónica de Colombia.
Joe Taylor & the Fire Band
Grupo de la isla colombiana de San Andrés de música reggae, que destaca la música tradicional caribeña.
Unibirds
Obra de los artistas visuales Sergio Mantilla Soler y Miguel Chaparro Alvis, incluyendo el trabajo de colaboración de los artistas en su famosa instalación virtual “Unibirds”, inspirada en la biodiversidad colombiana.
Festival de Cine Colombiano
El Pabellón de Colombia presentó el festival de cine colombiano que inició con la famosa película El Olvido que seremos, basada en el libro del mismo nombre del escritor colombiano Héctor Abad Facciolince y continuó con Jinetes del Paraíso, Jericó, Los Ajenos y El Piedra.
Antonina Canal
Una de las pioneras de la danza oriental en Colombia dio una muestra de danza árabe, fusionada con ritmos colombianos.
Grupo Bahía
La agrupación, representante emblemática de la música y la cultura del Pacífico colombiano, dio un magistral concierto en el Dubai Millenium Amphitheatre de la Expo.
Infinitos
Una obra transmedia de la Quinta del Lobo, hizo una reflexión sobre los tiempos de un mundo en pandemia.
Cayena Col Folk
Cayena, el primer grupo de danza folclórica colombiana en Emiratos Árabes, representó al Pabellón de Colombia en el Jubilee Stage, uno de los escenarios más importantes de la Expo.
Durante marzo el último mes de la Expo, el Pabellón de Colombia presentará a tres importantes exponentes de la cultura nacional.
Mopa Mopa
Un grupo de artesanos realizará un workshop en el Pabellón de Colombia para dar a conocer la técnica de origen indígena, que refleja el uso de la naturaleza en el arte.
Elkin Robinson
Uno de los exponentes más importantes de la música del Caribe colombiano, llega a la Expo para deleitar a los visitantes con una fusión de ritmos como el calypso, el polka y folk, durante conciertos en el Pabellón de Colombia y el Dubai Millenium Amphiteater.
Una travesía musical por Colombia
Para dar cierre a la agenda cultural del país en la Expo 2020 , el Pabellón de Colombia presentará un espectáculo a cargo de Cayena Colfolk que promete llevar a los espectadores a Colombia, a través de un recorrido lleno de música y danza por sus regiones.
* Parte de la agenda cultural de Colombia ha sido curada y financiada por el Ministerio de Cultura.
The Colombia Pavilion is set to feature Cartagena city, the capital of Bolívar in Colombia, at ExpoDubai 2020 on March 16 and 17, 2022. Cartagena’s participation at the Expo 2020 coincides with the country’s vision to strengthen its tourism sector, reinforcing its position as an industrial, export and commercial hub.
Cartagena city, also known as Cartagena de Indias, is strategically located on the Caribbean Sea and in the center of the American continent. It’s Colombia’s only industrial city with a world-class port, the country’s main platform for foreign trade and the first tourist, holiday, and business local destination. Cartagena city connect to the world in a quick manner through a continuous land, air, maritime, and inland waterway connectivity flow.
Cartagena is the country’s export platform and the gateway to trade with the Americas. It is expected to achieve the relocation of companies and add value to their processes, bringing them closer to their objectives and the conquest of international markets and contribute to the reactivation and economic revitalization of sectors, generating jobs and opportunities for the territory.
The Expo 2020 will provide visitors an opportunity to learn more about Cartagena’s history, culture, historical sites, logistic and Industrial sector, quality of life and connectivity, increasing awareness of Colombia’s tourism and investment potential. The international platform has provided Colombia with an opportunity to showcase its diverse regions as well as their investment potential, resulting in several Colombian businesses visiting the event to pursue potential business partnerships and investment opportunities.
The Colombia Pavilion welcomed over 14 companies from Tolima, one of the 32 departments of Colombia, to showcase their products from various industries and discover investment opportunities. Several products from various segments, including fashion, clothing, design, and more, are being featured and showcased at the pavilion for visitors to explore.
Tolima, located in the Andean region at the center-west of Colombia, has a strong trade and commercial presence, due to the country’s vast biodiversity, exotic fruits and vegetation, and wildlife and culture, making it an attractive destination for investors. The visit to Expo 2020 Dubai is in line with the department’s efforts to reactivate the economy and strengthen the nation’s export market and position itself on the world tourism map. Companies from various sectors have arrived to showcase their range of offerings, including fashion, design, and related industries.
Additionally, Tolima also brings its range of coffees to the event in hopes to offer further assistance in growing businesses, exploring investment and trade opportunities, and facilitate trade between Colombia and other countries by promoting Colombian origins abroad.
Colombia became a part of the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai, in an effort to highlight the country’s cultural heritage, innovations, and investment offerings among others. As part of its efforts to attract more foreign investors, Colombia has initiated several programs and encouraged Colombians to visit the pavilion and support the country’s efforts to build a better future. The Expo 2020 Dubai has been inspiring and fostering connections among cultures and communities, making it the perfect platform for Tolima to showcase their market.
The visit highlighted the region’s vast potential and showcased their special coffee brand ‘Antioquia es Mágica’ for visitors to enjoy
Colombia, a South American country known for its food, diversity, and arts and culture, showcased the Department of Antioquia at the EXPO 2020 Dubai. The Department is one of the 32 diverse departments of Colombia.Delegates from Antioquia visited the venue to promote their department as a tourist destination with immense potential for foreign direct investments and development of trade relations. They also introduced their regional brand ‘Antioquia is Magic’ at the pavilion and engaged in the exchange of experiences and vital knowledge that would help boost the industries in Antioquia.
Utilizing the EXPO 2020 as a platform to explore new ideas that would aid the development of the tourism sector, the delegates visited the pavilions of countries such as Croatia, Spain, Switzerland, Peru, Singapore, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Luxembourg.
They expressed special interest in Croatia since the two regions shared similar characteristics in their local tourism development models. Currently, the Department of Antioquia has established 20 ‘magical’ municipalities in the region through their ‘Antioquia is Magic’ program to encourage collaboration through knowledge, talent, and experience to promote tourism in the region.
The Department also presented a special edition of its regional brand of coffee ‘Antioquia es Mágica’, which highlighted the quality, passion, and love that Antioquia’s coffee producing families pour into their produce. The special blend was made from the beans of three coffee growing families that hailed from the municipalities of Sonsón, Urrao and Abejorral and was presented amongst the six coffee tastings hosted at the pavilion.
This showcase was part of the Café Región programme, an initiative led by the Secretariat of Productivity and Competitiveness, in partnership with the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Antioquia, to empower families that are dedicated to coffee cultivation and production and ensure that they experience financial security.
Besides coffee, the region is known for livestock rearing. Further, its fertile landscape provides the ideal conditions for the production of a wide range of crops such as banana, rice, yucca, sorghum, beans, sugar cane and cocoa. The mineral rich area is also studded with various bauxite and gold deposits.
Delegates from Antioquia also announced the Government of Antioquia’s commitment to address the climate emergency by setting a goal to plant 400,000 trees by 2022. In commemoration of their visit to the EXPO 2020 Dubai, Antioquia will also introduce the ‘Dubai Forest’ in Antioquia on April 22, 2022 [TM1] as it marks the World Earth Day. The region has always been enthusiastic about nature and contains several cultural green tourist destinations. Antioquia has three national heritage parks- Paramillo National Natural Park, shared with the department of Córdoba, Las Orquídeas National Natural Park, and a UNESCO world heritage location- Los Katios National Park (between Antioquia and Chocó departments).
This mountainous 6,612 square kilometers department is also a part of the Andes Mountain range and shares a border with the Caribbean Sea, further underlining it as an ideal tourist destination for nature enthusiasts.
With a population of more than 5.5 million, Antioquia is Colombia’s most populated province and largest economy after the country’s capital, Bogota. Industry, commerce, and mining are the region’s main sources of income. The department also has a long history of international trade in coffee, textiles, gold, and flowers.
The EXPO 2020 has provided an ideal platform for Colombia to showcase its various diverse regions and their investment potential. Several businesses from Colombia have been visiting the EXPO to explore new partnership and investment opportunities between the two countries.
Visitors at Expo 2020 Dubai are in for a special musical treat from Colombia Pavilion as one of the country’s famous singer-songwriter and producer, Elkin Robinson, is set to perform the best of Caribbean rhythms onstage this weekend. Robinson and his band will be holding two concerts, one on March 11 at 7pm within the Colombia Pavilion and another on March 12 at 6pm at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre.
This weekend’s event promises to showcase a musical ensemble which reflects Colombia’s title as ‘the country of a thousand rhythm’ with more than 1,025 folkloric music. The show will also serve as a fitting roundoff for Colombia Pavilion’s cultural offerings. Robinson, who hailed from Colombia’s Providencia Island, will be rendering a variety of musical styles that are both soothing and uplifting to the senses, including the mento, calypso, polka, and folk.
His unique blend of composition highlights the elements of his island life, the sea and nature, along with Creole influences. Furthermore, the musician’s inventiveness is reflected in a band which Robinson put together himself in 2012 where the group used instruments found in the island such as washtub bass, a horse jawbone, maracas, and nylon string guitar.
Robinson has played in various music festivals in over 20 countries such as the Lollapalooza in Chile) and the Wassermusik Festival in Berlin. His music has been featured along with world-class musicians including Carlos Vives, Ziggy Marley, Sidestepper, and Juan Pablo Vega.
In Colombia, he has featured in famous musical shows such as the Estereo Picnic, Rock al Parque, and the 2017 edition of WOMEX. His first album, Come Round was released in 2014, followed by Sunshine in 2017.
Quince exportadores de café colombiano en busca de nuevos negocios y clientes de talla internacional realizaron catas de café en Expo 2020 Dubái, para presentar sus productos a los visitantes mundiales del evento, durante la Semana del Café realizada en el Pabellón de Colombia.
Como parte de la semana del insigne producto nacional, Juan Valdez, el icono que representa a los productores de café de Colombia estuvo presente en las sesiones de degustación del grano y recorrió la exposición universal para entregar una bolsa del mejor café suave del mundo a representantes de Luxemburgo, China, Estados Unidos, Malasia, Corea, Suiza, Arabia Saudita y Egipto.
En la Semana del Café, empresarios del sector y compradores del producto en la región del Medio Oriente, participaron en espacios exclusivos para disfrutar del sabor único del café de Colombia y explorar oportunidades de asociación.
Los almacenes Juan Valdez, una cadena multinacional de cafeterías con sede en Colombia y especializada en la venta de café al por menor, y el Paisaje Cultural Cafetero (PCCC) también han causado una gran impresión en la Expo, ya que la exposición mundial en curso en Dubai espera atraer a más de 25 millones de personas a lo largo de sus 180 días de duración.
El Pabellón de Colombia, de 2.000 metros cuadrados, ubicado en una ciudadela de cuatro kilómetros cuadrados, muestra las distintas propiedades de cada región, como los Andes occidentales donde se destacan el Paisaje Cultural Cafetero y Antioquia, con sus montañas, su café y sus flores.
La Expo es una oportunidad ideal para que Colombia, conocida por su café, muestre las propiedades únicas de este producto del país y para que las empresas colombianas exploren nuevas asociaciones mundiales.
The Colombia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai hosted a delegation from the Colombia Association of Emerald Exporters (Acodes) on March 4 where they shed light on Colombia’s precious gem, the emeralds. Known for its distinctive bluish tone, Colombian emeralds make up more than half or 55 per cent of the world’s exports, making Colombia the world’s leading producer of emeralds.
The Acodes, which was established in 1969, discussed the flourishing export business of emeralds and the potential to expand the industry’s reach to the UAE and across the region. Visitors at the Colombia Pavilion also had a chance to take a closer look at the emeralds that was on display.
The country is the first global producer of emeralds where exports of the precious stone reached its value at USD 42 million in 2020, while normal export account for about 150million per year. Commercial grade emeralds are abundant; however, fine and extra fine quality emeralds are extremely rare. This makes Colombian emeralds valued in the global market where a 10-carat stone can cost much more than diamonds of the same size.
Colombian emeralds, also known as ‘The Green Spell’, exude colours that reflect Colombia’s green features – from its flag to the verdant prairies, mountains, fertile landscape, the Amazon rainforests, and natural reserves of the country.
Colombia owns the crown when it comes to the largest and finest emeralds discovered in the world. The largest recorded and registered in the Guinness Book of Records was found in Las Cruces mine near Gachala in 1969 weighing 7,025 carats. The Fura emerald, found in 1999 in Muzo, Boyaca, is the second largest cut in the world, weighing 11,000 carats and 2.2 kilograms. The third largest emerald vein in the world known as Petra was also found in a mine in Muzo, weighing 236 pounds and has more than 60 embedded emeralds of all shapes and sizes.
Colombian emeralds are also heralded as the world’s most expensive jewel after the tiara of Princess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck from a noble German family was auctioned in 2011 at USD 12.7 million. In addition, Colombian emeralds have also adorned famous Hollywood stars such as Amy Adams, Annette Benning, Marisa Tomei, and Reese Witherspoon who all wore this beauty during the Oscar Awards Red Carpet in 2010.
High-level business delegates from Santiago de Cali, the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, the most populous city in southwest Colombia, explored international partnership and investment opportunities during their visit to the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai.
The Colombian delegates engaged with prospective global partners and investors to highlight a myriad of growth prospects in Cali’s key sectors such as sports and health tourism, two of its major industries.
During the visit, the group highlighted what makes Cali different from other cities and showcase the city’s competitive edge as the doorway to the Colombian Pacific. Companies are growing in Cali thanks to its business-friendly policies and solutions, as well as its capability to fully support their operations. Zonamerica, the first services free trade zone in the country and tech park, is situated in the city.
Cali, the main urban and economic center in the south of the country, is considered one of the fastest-growing economies in Colombia. It is also one of the most biodiverse. The city is home to more than 900 species of birds and is a favorite destination for hiking and some extreme sports.
Dubbed as Colombia’s sporting capital, it was a host to many international sporting competitions. These included the 1971 Pan American Games, the 1992 World Wrestling Championships, the 2013 World Games, the 2014 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, the 2015 World Youth Championships in Athletics, and the inaugural 2021 Junior Pan American Games.
Furthermore, Cali is the location of numerous healthcare providers that offer affordable but higher-quality healthcare treatments. Some 72,000 medical tourists from all over the world come to the city a year to avail themselves of local healthcare services.
It is renowned as well for its bilingual and young human talents, nurtured by multiple local initiatives being undertaken to strengthen their communication and technical skills. This is amid the growing global demands for technology and services operations.
Additionally, the city-region, which mainly grows sugarcane and coffee, hosts more than 200 multinationals, accounts for 37 per cent of Valle del Cauca’s exports, and represents almost 12 per cent of the regional gross domestic product (GDP). Its other top exports apart from sugarcane and coffee are fresh and exotic fruits, pharmaceutical and chemical products, fashion and accessories, cultural and creative industry, machinery, agroindustry and construction, cocoa derivatives and confectionaries.
As a business center that boasts of reliable infrastructure and connectivity, Cali remains a low-cost city where companies can achieve higher cost savings in their key operations. Investment opportunities are immense in major local sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, renewable energy, human resources, information technology, software business process outsourcing (BPO), and many more.
Called the ‘Capital of Salsa,’ it is also famous for its unique style of salsa. On food, Cali offers the traditional sancocho and tamales apart from seafood made delicious by a wide variety of herbs.
