Syria, a country that has been tormented by conflict, wanted its pavilion to be an inclusive space, as well as a reminder of who the Syrian people are and the contributions they have made to human civilization since the dawn of documented history. As such, the Syria Pavilion showcases a rich culture that has laid a foundation for the modern world, remains a dynamic component of it, and wants to rise again. Syria was the birthplace of the first crop, the first alphabet, the first musical note, and the first poem. Thus, Syrians were the first true examples of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” the official theme of Expo 2020, and the nation is confident its rich heritage and pioneering nature will fuel a bright future.
At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a timeline that shows the development and interaction of cultures and civilizations in Syria throughout history. Modern Syria is home to some of the earliest agricultural settlements in history. These early preliterate cultures developed a system of economic trading and administrative management based on clay tokens. Used for counting, data processing, and communication, these tokens are considered by researchers to have established Neolithic redistribution of economy and thereby set the foundation of the Bronze Age civilization.
In the first exhibit, dubbed “A Common Story,” visitors get to take a look at a physical replica of the first written alphabet, which dates back to 1400 BC. The second exhibit, “Let’s Grow Together,” shows how Syrians descend from some of the earliest agricultural societies in history. Guests are part of an interactive art installation inspired by artists’ aspirations to regrow and nurture the country back to life.
Syrians love music so much that they wrote the first note ever discovered. In the third exhibit, “Rediscovering Harmony,” the pavilion invites its visitors to sing with the songs of the Ugarit people from 1400 B.C. In an audiovisual experience room, participants learn about the history of this musical note and listen to an interpretation of it by a Syrian musician. Meanwhile, the fourth exhibit, “Faces from Syria,” is a collective art gallery that rethinks and reformulates the concept of individual and human identity, while breaking down narrow prejudices and affiliations. Facing the gallery wall is a large mirror with the phrase, “When I look within, I see you.” When visitors look at the mirror, they become a part of the exhibition and are reminded that we are all one and the same.
Finally, “Whispers from Syria” is an inclusive space for gathering where nearly 1,200 wooden tablets are displayed. They were shipped to Syrians living all over the world, who were allowed to express themselves by decorating the tablets and returning them to the pavilion where they have become an arresting feature of the country’s pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai.
