DUBAI: Expo 2020, being billed as the world’s greatest show, will feature sustainability as one of the integral pillars when the six-month event opens in October next year.

And Finland’s real-life Santa Claus is spreading the message of sustainability and the importance of adapting a circular economy to combat climate crisis, one of the most pressing issues the global community is now facing.

During a recent visit at Arbor School, the UAE’s only ecological school, Santa Claus delivered an open letter challenging those in power to listen to their youth and include them in the conversation surrounding sustainability and environmental issues.

Santa Claus also hoped that his message in the letter would start a wider dialogue about the environment, what we can all do to help heal the planet by adopting a circular economy, which Finland has adopted as a national policy.

During the 2018/2019 school year, over 70,000 children and young people from primary school to university age studied the circular economy as part of Finland’s national curriculum.

“The decline of biodiversity and subsequent challenges made to traditional societies and economic strategies are driving countries to make drastic changes and develop sustainable solutions to guarantee the future our youth deserve. We believe education is the foundation of any significant change,” Marianne Nissilä, Finland’s ambassador to the UAE, said.

“With professions of the future becoming more and more diverse, it is vital we prepare our younger generations by giving them access to the knowledge, understanding and the appetite essential to effect positive change.”

Finland’s pavilion in the Expo 2020 will be centered on its main theme ‘Sharing Future Happiness’ wherein over 100 Finnish companies would showcase globally-leading clean technologies, a circular economy with sustainable use of resources, sustainable energy and digital solutions among others.