More than 32 thousand visitors atended to the first day of Itaipu’s exhibition. Photo: Alexandre Marchetti/IB
The opening of Itaipu Binacional’s exhibition on Sunday (20), at Expo 2020 Dubai, established the daily visitation record of the Brazil Pavilion. In total, there were more than 32 thousand visitors in a single day. With the number, the pavilion approached the mark of 1.8 million people who passed through the place, since the beginning of the event, on October 1, 2021.
The highlight this Sunday was the premiere of the ballet “A Lenda das Cataratas” (The Legend of the Falls), by Cia. Quasar de Dança e Cia K. The dancers move about the water mirror of the Brazil Pavilion, to the sound of the soundtrack composed by Magda Pucci, with video projections prepared by VJ Spetto and choreography by Henrique Rodovalho.
The public crowded the Brazil Pavilion to watch the story of Naipi and Tarobá, which will be staged twice a night (at 7:00 pm and 8:50 pm) until the end of the event, on March 31.
Throughout the day, there was also great movement, which can be seen in the queues from the entrance of the pavilion. Upon arrival, visitors go through a facility that refers to the flying rivers, the name given to the connections between Brazilian biomes through rain. There, they hear an explanation about how this connection is made by water. Then, through a totem, people receive a welcome with general information about Itaipu and Foz do Iguaçu.
Visitors are also invited to download an app that provides an assortment of information, news, exhibition script, and a QR code section that allows to project, with the mobile phone, animals of the Atlantic Forest fauna in areas of the pavilion. It is also possible to plant a tree, contributing to the carbon compensation of each visitor.
The exhibition also has instagrammable booths (within them, people seem to be under water). With virtual reality glasses, you can virtually visit Itaipu, the reservoir and better understand hydroelectric generation. A vertical garden offers a showcase of native essences of the Atlantic Forest. You can even smell medicinal plants typical of the region.
On the second floor, Sala Igarapé has tables with touch screens, where you can navigate Itaipu’s history and actions, and sustainability content. Next, there is a 360º immersive room showing the water cycle and its relationship with power generation in Itaipu. Afterwards, visitors go through a gallery in which they hear testimonials from people from the region (Vozes do Território), information on use of data in the sustainable territorial management (Núcleo de Inteligência Territorial – NIT) and Itaipu actions related to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The script concludes with Science in the Sphere, addressing Itaipu’s climate actions.
It is important to note that almost all activations will return to Brazil and will be used by Itaipu at the Ecomuseum and other fairs and events, constituting an important legacy for the company.