Blue space meets cyberspace at UAE pavilion, expo 2012

Yeosu, South Korea - May 14, 2012 (WAM) - Children gathered around 'Ocean of Dreams', jostling each other to set their own 'fish with a wish' free to swim in a large virtual aquarium. "That's mine!", shouted the triumphant young student as a bright purple-spotted cross between a clownfish and damsel fish descended from the top of the 'tank' to take its position among its schooling counterparts, each carrying a name tag and towing a wish banner. "I released mine into cyberspace!" countered her friend who had just selected the 'send to your email' option. Across the floor another group of youngsters were giggling about sending their pictures to a massive 'photowall'. One of them was carefully adjusting an AR (augmented reality) card with a picture of a dugong. As soon as the camera recognised the card an animated dugong appeared alongside her own image. She was attempting to position both herself and dugong into a friendly 'pose'. As the camera clicked and the scene became frozen in time all her friends burst into peels of laughter. "Entertainment is an essential means to engage people with our message", stated the UAE National Media Council's Pavilion Director, Mr Abdulla Al Aidarous. "We want our visitors to have fun but we also want them to know that we are serious about supporting the EXPO's call for maintaining the health of our oceans and coastline". Alongside the 'Photopods' a collection of 'Infopods' allowed visitors with a deeper interest to explore a range of marine-related subjects, including sharks, turtles, dugongs, mangroves, corals, and fisheries. Smart touch-screens and unidirectional speakers delivered high definition films on these and other topics of special relevance to the UAE. Half hidden behind a curved 'cloud wall' another group of visitors were watching a film titled 'Reflections' that shows how five Emiratis' lives are intertwined with the sea. Back at the fish 'tank' the unexpected appearance of a fish towing a large banner stating 'Show Starts in 3 Minutes' was the first clue that there was more to this pavilion! The gradual set of a large sun, to reveal an open doorway provided the next clue. Everyone quickly made their way through an 'undersea passageway', accompanied by shoals of fish and the odd whale, into the 'ocean theatre'. As they took their seats the shoals of marine- life reminded them that this was no ordinary cinema. As one of the visitors commented, "it is where blue space meets cyberspace!"