The hype and excitement surrounding the potential of the metaverse was felt in the halls of Dubai’s Museum of the Future on Wednesday and Thursday.

But there was also a strong message from the 500 or so experts who attended the inaugural Dubai Metaverse Assembly about the brave new world of Web 3.0: the need for regulation and preparation for what is to come.

There were fascinating visions of the future, such as the metaverse headquarters of the UAE Ministry of Economy, where people can hold meetings and even sign legal documents.

Elsewhere at the government level, Gabriel Abed, Barbados’ ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, said his country aims to establish an embassy in the metaverse.

The virtual facility will ensure diplomatic parity, future-proof national services,…