Jakarta. The government launched its "Road to Dubai" roadshow program on Thursday, aimed at encouraging private-sector participation in a universal exposition that will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates in 2020.

Indonesia seeks to promote its innovations to a global audience during World Expo 2020 Dubai, scheduled to take place between Oct. 20, 2020 and April 10, 2021. The theme is "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future."

The government will use the roadshow to select companies and experts to participate in a public-private partnership project to set up the Indonesian pavilion at the expo.

Indonesian technology, innovations, e-commerce, education, culture, tourism, telecommunications and more will be on display in the 1,860-square-meter Indonesian pavilion, which will be built at Dubai Trade Center Jebel Ali.

"World Expo 2020 Dubai will be very good for our branding as a country and it will bring in more investment and business opportunities in the future," Arlinda Imbang Jaya, director general for export development at the Ministry of Trade, told reporters during the 2018 Trade Expo in Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday.

She said the government needs Rp 400 billion ($26 million) to participate in World Expo 2020 Dubai.

"We cannot depend solely on the state budget; that is why we invited the private sector to also participate in the project," Arlinda said.

Diversified Indonesian conglomerate Astra International is so far the only company to have made a commitment to participate in the expo. It has set aside Rp 50 billion for this purpose.

The government has appointed Samudra Dyan Praga, a subsidiary of event organizer Dyandra Promosindo, to set up the Indonesian pavilion.

"Over the next two years, the 'Road to Dubai' roadshow will seek out and curate innovative projects and products that will be selected for display during the expo," said Hariman Zagloel, president director of Samudra Dyan Praga.

World Expo 2020 – one of the world's largest events of this kind – has been held for more than 160 years. It is considered as an important venue for innovation, education and cooperation.

At least 180 countries are set to participate in World Expo 2020 Dubai.