Coffee connoisseurs from around the world descended on Dubai for one of the world's largest coffee gatherings, bringing their unique flavors and coffee-making philosophies while forging new connections at the three-day event which wrapped up on Tuesday.
The fifth edition of the 'World of Coffee Dubai', a leading specialty coffee exhibition in the Middle East, this year attracted some 17,000 professional visitors and over 450 global exhibitors from more than 130 countries and regions to the United Arab Emirates' city.
The expo highlighted the deep cultural and economic ties that coffee fosters worldwide, giving visitors the chance to explore the full supply chain behind the ever-growing coffee industry, from cultivation and roasting to brewing and consumption.
Industry insiders and enthusiasts are particularly pleased to uncover the journey of coffee across borders, as they discover where their favorite tasty coffee beans originate from and come together to share a cup.
"I always drink coffee at home with my meal, but I don't know the origin. And in this case, in the festival, you can talk about the origins, all the varieties," said Celina Perez, founder of the Bahrain Coffee Festival, an annual event held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
"In Colombia, we wake up with coffee and we go to sleep with coffee. So, [it goes] from the mountains to the lab, to the roastery, and then to you as a customer," said Miguel Santana, a Colombian exhibitor.
"In the last three years, a lot of internationals and expats [have been] coming from all around the world. The only note that they keep talking about is our coffee. We don't have bars, we don't drink. So, coffee is the only thing that gathers us," said Sara Alhadyan, an exhibitor from Saudi Arabia.
The event's significance extends beyond cultural exchanges. The Dubai Coffee Auction by the Dubai Multi Commodities Center ran for the duration of the show, serving as a global marketplace for rare and premium coffee batches.
Given the record-breaking success of last year's auction, this year's expanded offering was set to feature coffee sourced from farms in countries such as Panama, Colombia and Ethiopia.
"Dubai helped me a lot with the marketing and the publicity. It was such a helpful hint that they give me," said Ana Garcia, an exhibitor from Panama.
The Dubai event also united a complete industry chain ranging from coffee farmers and roasters to baristas and connoisseurs through professional competitions and industry forums.
"The most valuable thing that we found here is connections. So, once you grow your connections, you grow your knowledge. So, yeah, it's a really good opportunity," said Alhadyan.
Other exhibitors again reaffirmed the important economic appeal of the coffee sector, which is driving a major consumption boom worldwide.
"It's all about coffee and green plantings, mainly coffee. Everybody comes from every part of the world to that part of Colombia, just for coffee specifically," said Santana.
For many passionate producers, coffee is not just a beverage but a field for continuous experimentation and innovation.
"One of our dreams is to bring coffee to all the people who cannot travel so much. But our main motivation, as a coffee farm, it is for sure the people. I think there is no better honor and blessing to see people drinking our coffee and smiling," said Garcia.
"I love coffee because for me coffee is science, it represents science. And the fact that I can modify it and make my own recipe and alter the variables for me, that's incredible. You put in the work and you are curious enough to do the experiments and keep trying, then anyone can get to that point," said Jose Luttrell, another exhibitor from Panama.
Leading Middle East coffee event in Dubai brews up global connections
Chinese and American attendees from various walks of life at an event commemorating the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy said President Xi Jinping's remarks in a congratulatory letter had inspired them to contribute in their own ways to enhancing bilateral friendship.
Fifty-five years ago, the older generation of leaders of China and the United States, with their extraordinary political wisdom and strategic vision, reopened the door to friendly exchanges between the two peoples, creating the much-told stories of "the little ball being able to move the big ball," Xi said in the letter sent on Friday. He noted that it is of great significance to advancing China-U.S. friendship for young people from both sides to renew the affinity fostered by Ping-Pong Diplomacy and take part in a series of sports exchange activities.
Zheng Minzhi, a three-time World Table Tennis Championships gold medalist, was part of the 1971 China team that competed in Nagoya, Japan where she witnessed a surprising turn in diplomatic history.
Zheng attended the commemoration of the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy and the launching ceremony of a China-U.S. youth sports exchange series held in Beijing on Friday.
"President Xi encouraged us to continue the friendship between the Chinese and American people and pass the baton of friendship to more young people. We must keep contributing to the friendship between China and the United States," Zheng said after the event.
In April 1971, a U.S. Table Tennis team delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades. The trip was the beginning of what became known as Ping-Pong Diplomacy, and helped lay the groundwork for the establishment of official diplomatic relations between China and the United States.
Judy Hoarfrost, a member of that U.S. team, was invited to participate in the event commemorating the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy and visited China once again.
"President Xi's speech today, and we heard many important words about friendship between USA and China today. It's so important for our relations to understand each other, to have a dialogue and to move forward in our relations. And it's important today more than ever that we all take the time to talk to each other and have warm feelings and exchanges and understandings," said Hoarfrost.
"In his congratulatory letter, President Xi emphasized the practical and historical significance of 'Ping-Pong Diplomacy' and especially encouraged the younger generation of the two countries to enhance mutual understanding and advance hand in hand, which greatly promoted the non-governmental exchanges between China and the United States and injected warm energy," said Shen Xin, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
Xi emphasized that the foundation of China-U.S. relations is laid by the people, and the future of bilateral relations will be shaped by the youth. He expressed the hope that people from all walks of life in both countries, especially the younger generation, will draw wisdom and strength from history.
Some said President Xi's remarks offered guidance on the strategic choices facing China and the U.S., as well as on the evolving global landscape.
"Hopefully, we two countries will be able to do the same in keeping that spirit of cooperation, friendship, sharing of information and, of course, competing, just like ping pong players do. As the new worldwide challenge, we two countries will together provide an incredible leadership," said Kent Watkins, chairman of the American Academy of Housing and Communities.
Among those inspired, professionals from different fields said they would contribute to strengthening China-U.S. friendship through their work.
"As sports reporters of China Media Group, we will bear in mind President Xi's expectations, give full play to the strengths of sports coverage through our work, tell the story of sports exchanges between China and the United States in a more vivid way, promote the continued inheritance of the 'Ping-Pong Diplomacy' spirit in the new era, ensure it flourishes with renewed vigor, and contribute to the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations," said Bi Ran, a sports reporter at CMG.
"President Xi called on the younger generation to draw wisdom and strength from history and advance hand in hand in mutual assistance and learning. We will practice the spirit of President Xi's important instructions, promote academic exchanges and knowledge sharing between China and other countries in the fields of sports and technology, and make new contributions to enhancing China's friendship with the world," said Zhang Shanghang, a tenure-track assistant professor at the School of Computer Science of Peking University.
Xi's letter on 'Ping-Pong Diplomacy' inspires Chinese, Americans to boost bilateral friendship
