[Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai UAE Pavilion] Pavilion's Palm Materials Reused for Community Center Construction in Wajima, Noto Peninsula Disaster Area

Materials derived from date palms, used in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, have been decided to be repurposed for the construction of a community center in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, an area affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. This initiative contributes to local reconstruction support and further deepens the collaborative relationship between Japan and the UAE.

Date palm leaves used in the pavilion were carefully collected and processed, and are now being regenerated as strand board (oriented strand board), with their use as wall materials for the community center being considered. Additionally, paving blocks made from "Datecrete," an innovative UAE-developed material combining crushed date palm seeds and palm fibers, are planned to be utilized as paving materials for the facility.

At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, date palm materials were adopted as iconic architectural elements of the UAE Pavilion, used in structures including 90 columns made from palm leaf rachises. These elements reinterpreted traditional Emirati resources through modern design and engineering, and this philosophy will now be practically inherited in the new community of Wajima.

This project is part of an initiative to return the pavilion's legacy to society even after the Expo concludes. In early 2026, a pergola from the UAE Pavilion was relocated to Tottori Prefecture, where it is being utilized as a public space for local residents and visitors.

His Excellency Shihab Al Faheem, Government Representative of the UAE Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Japan, stated:

"This initiative ensures that the value of the pavilion is not merely transient but takes on a new role within real society. It embodies the idea that innovation in materials and design can continue to hold new meaning across time and place. We find it deeply significant that this is now being realized in the form of support for the local community of Wajima."

He further continued:

"This project also symbolizes the relationship between Japan and the UAE. The fact that the collaboration between the two countries is being returned to local communities as tangible results holds great significance. This is connected to a previous initiative where the UAE Embassy in Japan collaborated with Shigeru Ban Architects to provide two residential units to victims of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake."

The design for this project is currently underway, and the Wajima City Community Center is expected to serve as a hub for local residents' interaction. Materials derived from the pavilion, such as date palm strand board, are being considered for use in parts of the design, balancing functionality with adaptation to local needs. Yasunori Harano, Director of Shigeru Ban Architects, who is handling the design of this project, stated:

"In this project, we are exploring how materials can be reused in different contexts. Date palm-derived boards will serve as a link between material research at the UAE Pavilion and architecture rooted in the community. We aim to create a simple, flexible space that naturally blends into its surroundings."

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai UAE Pavilion

During Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the UAE Pavilion welcomed over 5 million visitors in total, recording the highest number of visitors among international pavilions. With the theme "Earth to Ether," it unfolded a story connecting tradition, innovation, and human potential, communicating the UAE's vision through material experimentation, cultural dialogue, and human-centered experiential design. The construction of the community center in Wajima City is scheduled to commence within the next few months.

About the UAE Expo Office

The UAE Expo Office is a national platform aimed at bringing together people, ideas, and innovation to contribute to global progress.

Established by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and operating under the purview of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this office leads the UAE's strategic participation in international expos. Most recently, it oversaw participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

The UAE Expo Office was established with a clear mission to connect people and innovation to address the challenges facing humanity. Guided by values of optimism, openness, ambition, and resilience, it creates engaging and meaningful experiences that foster collaboration across cultures, sectors, and generations.

Through strategic partnerships and meticulously crafted programs, it accelerates progress in fields such as education, healthcare, sustainable technology, and space exploration. While contributing to the goals set by each Expo, it also inherently generates [the rest of the sentence is cut off in the original text].