Today's Edition
Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)
The 6th edition of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi kicked off on Sunday, ushering in dynamic dialogues on the transformative power of culture, under the theme of “A Matter of Time”. Hosted by the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi, the annual global forum convenes global leaders in arts, heritage, media, museums, public policy, and technology.
H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “The theme of this year… is an invitation to us all to pause and think about this moment of inflection we have in our relation to time and reflect on the never-ending race we’re all running as individuals, organisations, or communities”.
In his opening remarks, Al Mubarak highlighted the significance of poetry in Emirati culture, welcoming guests with a poem by the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. “Welcome, you are from God’s goodness. Welcome, your presence bestows grace upon my land. Poised and commanding respect and embodying dignity, Welcome.”
The sub-theme for the first day of the summit was the passage of time, where participants delved into the intricacies of how time is perceived in a digitally evolving era. Aside from fostering knowledge exchange and policy development, the three-day summit promises visitors captivating performances, artistic installations, and immersive experiences aimed at enriching cultural discourse.
“The diversity of themes, discussions, participants, and topics has always been at the heart of the Culture Summit. When we started in 2017, our ambition was to provide a unique environment for the global cultural and creative ecosystems.
Culture is a driving force for our society and economy, inviting people to connect across countries and cultural fields, presenting a platform to develop global cultural policy, and to support the wider socio-economic role of culture,” Al Mubarak said. He further emphasised the inclusive nature of the event, where voices from diverse backgrounds converge on an “equal pedestal” to drive tangible solutions to global challenges.
“Here in the Culture Summit, everybody’s voice is heard, regardless of where you’re from, what your race is, what your gender is. Here, we’re all one.” He noted that through the Culture Summit, the DCT Abu Dhabi aims to identify actionable strategies that harness culture as a vehicle for societal advancement.
“This summit is not just about words. We truly believe here that action speaks much louder than words … it’s a place to discuss our issues and to have tangible solutions, not just for our communities, but for global communities.” The Mondiacult ministerial dialogue, a pivotal component of the summit, underscores Abu Dhabi’s commitment to advocating for culture as a fundamental global public good, Al Mubarak added.
“In this ministerial dialogue, we will continue to explore what global public good means on how we can collectively advocate for culture to become a standalone objective in the UN Sustainability Development Goals,” he said. Al Mubarak also underscored Abu Dhabi’s multifaceted approach towards bolstering the cultural sector, emphasising strategic investments in capacity building, institutional development, and public engagement.
“Our cultural creative industry strategy aims to increase the socio-economic impact and value of the cultural and creative industries in Abu Dhabi. But it really doesn’t stop there. We’re not just looking within; we’re also looking outwards. In the last decade, we have forged alliances and partnerships with global players to address the importance of culture,” said Al Mubarak.
