DUBAI: Global star Will Smith walked the blue carpet in Dubai on Monday for the Middle East premiere of National Geographic’s original series ‘Pole to Pole with Will Smith,’ marking the regional launch of his seven-part global exploration series.

The event was held at the SEE Institute in The Sustainable City Dubai, the region’s first net-zero emissions building, and brought together government officials, regional celebrities, content creators and sustainability advocates.

Following a private screening of the first episode, Smith took part in a live on-stage Q&A session alongside Allison Fong, Richard Parks and Bryan Fry, three of the scientists and explorers who joined him on his 100-day journey across all seven continents.

Five years in the making, the cinematic docu-series follows Smith’s travels from the ice fields of Antarctica to the Amazon rainforest, the Himalayas, African deserts, Pacific islands and the Arctic, exploring both extreme environments and the people who study and protect them.

Faris Saeed, Founder and Chairman of SEE Holding, said the series “reminds us that progress is not only about how advanced we become, but by how deeply we remain connected to our humanity and our planet,” adding that future cities must bring people and nature closer together.

The premiere was produced by KS Konnect, the strategic consultancy founded by Kris Fade and Sarah Omolewu.

Omolewu said hosting the event in Dubai was “deeply meaningful” and reflected both the city’s status as a cultural hub and Smith’s commitment to purpose-driven storytelling.

Pole to Pole with Will Smith will air on National Geographic on January 13 at 8pm, on National Geographic Abu Dhabi on January 14 at 9pm, and will be available to stream on Disney+ from January 14 onwards.