In 1979, the residents of Dubai looked on with awe and admiration as a towering structure rose before them, a 39-storey edifice standing tall on the outskirts of the city. To them, it was an unprecedented architectural marvel, a magnificent skyscraper emerging proudly from the vast expanse of the desert. It was named "Rashid Tower," a tribute and a testament to the achievements of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, may God bless his soul.

Yet few at the time understood that the vision behind this structure extended far beyond architectural grandeur. Rashid Tower, the tower of the Dubai World Trade Centre, would come to embody Sheikh Rashid's foresight, wisdom, and remarkable ability to read the future.

Today, those who lived through that era and have witnessed the journey of the Dubai World Trade Centre through to this moment, as the city hosts the 44th edition of GITEX Global, understand without a shadow of a doubt that behind that early project lay a profound and far-reaching vision. The Centre, which rose as a giant before the eyes of onlookers, would soon become one of the emirate's most significant economic landmarks and a cornerstone in establishing Dubai's reputation as a world-class destination for business and exhibitions.

Trade exhibitions, of course, are not a new phenomenon. They emerged alongside the Industrial Revolution, with the first major exposition taking place in London in 1851 under the name "The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations." Since that moment, thousands of exhibitions have been held across the world each year, yet few endure, and fewer still establish themselves as defining milestones in the trajectory of global progress.

Exhibitions have since evolved into an industry in their own right. In 2023 alone, the global exhibitions industry contributed approximately USD 72 billion to the world economy, with projections indicating annual growth of 4.5% over the next decade.

There is no doubt that GITEX has firmly established itself as one of the defining events of this influential sector, a globally recognised landmark in its own right. Indeed, GITEX has transcended its role as a mere exhibition, becoming an annual global gathering where the brightest minds from governments, corporations, and the private sector converge on the soil of Dubai, a city that has itself become a towering achievement and an inspiring story of defying the impossible and shaping the future.

Under the umbrella of GITEX Global, Dubai continues to write new chapters of a story that has captivated the world. It welcomes thousands of visitors from across the globe, who come to witness firsthand how this young city has become a benchmark for the digital knowledge economy, harnessing the most advanced technologies in the service of humanity. They witness how Dubai has carved for itself a leading position among the world's foremost cities across numerous global indices, including the Digital Government Index, where Dubai ranks among the top five cities in the world according to the United Nations E-Government Survey 2024.

At GITEX, beneath the enduring presence of Rashid Tower, which continues to stand tall, the successes, experiences, pioneering stories, and innovations of the world converge and shine. Yet what shines brightest of all is Dubai itself, which emerges through this event as a symbol of humanity's aspiration for a life defined by development, happiness, prosperity, and positive progress.