At a private screening on Sunday, a documentary about the old international trading center where the ring that inspired the Expo 2020 emblem was discovered was unveiled. It will be accessible for general viewing on Expo 2020’s Virtual Expo, Abu Dhabi TV, and Dubai TV, as well as Discovery Channel, beginning on Monday, November 29.
The 30-minute documentary ‘Saruq Al Hadid: Dubai’s Iron Age’ tells the story of how His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, discovered the area – now one of Dubai’s most historically significant discoveries – when he spotted thousands of black, man-made rocks on the dunes from a helicopter.
Archaeologists discovered an intricately crafted ring when they began excavating the site. The official logo for Expo 2020 Dubai was inspired by that ring, which represents a link to the past that is helping to build the future.
Manal AlBayat, Chief Engagement Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “The story of Saruq Al Hadid links Dubai’s rich past with its exciting, innovative future, showing how people, throughout the ages, can create something truly magical when they work together. This is the message of Expo 2020 and one that, with the help of this fascinating documentary, people from all around the world, from different cultures, will be able to enjoy and learn from; long after Expo 2020 closes its doors.
“The documentary also showcases the incredible work that Dubai and the UAE is doing in the field of preserving our ancient sites, and how preserving the UAE’s rich and vibrant history allows us to learn from our past and help build a better, brighter future for everyone.”
Expo 2020 Dubai, Image Nation, and Atlantic Productions collaborated on the documentary. Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth; Omar Ghobash, Assistant Minister of Culture and Public Diplomacy; Lina Zilinskaite, Director of Saruq Al Hadid; Dr Hayat Shamsuddin, Senior Vice President, Arts and Culture, Expo 2020 Dubai; and guests from the Saruq Al Hadid Museum attended the premiere at Terra Auditorium inside Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion.
Lina Zilinskaite said: “When we think about ancient great civilizations, our minds immediately go to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece. What I found incredibly rewarding working on this project was showing that the ancient world was much richer and much more diverse than people think and that there were other cultural centers, other major civilizations at the time that were hubs of cultural activity, of trade and of exchange.”
The documentary focuses on Dubai’s Iron Age period and the Saruq Al Hadid excavation site, as well as the remarkable objects currently on display at the Saruq Al Hadid Museum, in addition to analyzing the connection between the historic area and Expo 2020 Dubai.
