Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
The fourth edition of the Maritime Heritage Festival opens today on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, transporting visitors to a time when community life revolved around the sea.
Running for 10 days until November 23, the event will transform the Abu Dhabi Beach – East Corniche into a coastal village that bustles with vibrant markets, traditional social gatherings, and seafaring stories.
"This is an opportunity for Emiratis and the local community to rediscover where our values come from — values shaped by our ancestors who lived by and from the sea," said Farah Abdulhameed Al Bakoush, Director of the Culture Festivals and Platforms Department at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
Interactive programmes will engage the wider community in preserving coastal cultures, while local artisans and heritage practitioners will bring traditional maritime crafts and stories to life. Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the emirate’s rich maritime legacy.
Among the highlights of this year’s festival is an immersive musical heritage show — a theatrical production that depicts life by the sea.
“The show will be told from the perspective of a woman. It is a story about collaboration, tolerance, and perseverance — and how [our ancestors] survived the coastal life and earned a living through pearling and trading,” Al Bakoush told Aletihad.
Another must-visit spot is the ‘Tunnel of Values’, which offers an interactive experience that spotlights the moral and cultural teachings derived from maritime life.
New workshops focusing on traditions are also lined up. Al Sayyad, for example, features fishermen who will be teaching children how to fish. It aims impart values that are fundamental to Emirati maritime culture, such as tolerance, patience, and respect, Al Bakoush said.
Bait Al Gahwa, another heritage project, will immerse the community in local coffee traditions. From roasting and preparing coffee the traditional way to enjoying it in a majlis setting, the experience turns the spotlight on the warm Emirati hospitality.
"Every aspect of this festival, from the performances to the workshops, ensures that visitors don’t come only for fun; they will leave with inspiration, having gained insight into our roots and identity,” Al Bakoush said.
The festival will welcome visitors from 4pm to 11 pm from Monday to Thursday, and until midnight from Friday to Sunday.
