Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries (Congress ACI) commenced on Sunday at Etihad Arena Abu Dhabi, showcasing Arabic creativity to global audiences and offering a platform for impactful collaboration and partnership.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the event is held under the theme "Arabic Creativity Reimagined: Innovation in Storytelling and Audience Engagement".
The congress gathers international creatives, tech innovators and policymakers, discussing AI, digital publishing and new business models that are writing the future of Arabic cultural expression.
One of the main achievements this year is a strategic content-licensing partnership between ALC and Amazon Alexa. Under the agreement, Alexa users in the UAE and Saudi Arabia can now access Arabic content such as the Digital Lexicon (Daleel Al Maany) and Poetry Encyclopedia; two of the centre's pioneering digital projects.
These projects reaffirm Abu Dhabi's position as a centre for cultural advancement and increase awareness around the world of Arabic language.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the event, Dr. Raf Fatani, Regional General Manager, Alexa, Amazon MENA, highlighted the complexity of technology in Arabic, noting that the spoken language differs greatly from the written form. "We write in Modern Standard Arabic, but we speak in different dialects, and that makes it incredibly hard for technologists.
"Arabic itself is incredibly rich with a massive vocabulary that is constantly evolving and changing. Context really matters, and the same word can mean something different depending on the dialect," Dr. Fatani said.
When Alexa was launched, he said the team made a deliberate choice: To go very hyper-local to serve customers.
"It is easy to build an Alexa that understands Modern Standard Arabic, but customers do not speak that day to day. Alexa needed to understand local dialects in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as well as Egyptian and Levantine." The new agreement, he added, builds on this work.
"Part of the MoU is that the ALC will support us in deepening our understanding of the Emirati dialect and contributing a massive library of Arabic poetry, in order to maintain that heritage within digital technology – not just for us today, but for future generations as well."
Youth Empowerment
Moza Al Hinai, Director of Strategic Research at the Arab Youth Centre, highlighted the centre's mission to empower youth.
"We are working on many initiatives to refine youth skills and strengthen their Arab identity and culture. One such initiative is the Arabic Language Youth Council, whose achievements we are showcasing today," Al Hinai told Aletihad.
She said that the council had completed its first cycle with clear impact across countries and will open registration for its second cycle in November 2025.
As a member of the Arabic Language Youth Council, Fatima Al Hammadi stressed that the goal is to make Arabic the youth's primary tool across different fields. "For example, I launched the Arabic Dictionary for Environmental Terms to integrate Arabic into environmental sciences."
She added that caring for Arabic is not limited to language specialists – youth from all fields can elevate it globally and locally.
"At the Arab Youth Centre, we build specialised youth communities that amplify their voices and future aspirations, turning their ideas into shared solutions," she said.
Among the visitors to the event is Dania Al Qasim, an Arabic teacher for non-native speakers at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and a published writer.
"I am very happy to be part of this conference, which encourages us to think about how Arabic can be used across different fields; from AI to the arts. What makes me proud is my passion and love for the language, and my belief that Arabic has wide horizons and is not limited to a single field, whether in writing, photography, composition, or production," Dania told Aletihad.
Her sister, Aya Al Qasim, a PhD student in public health, noted that the event highlights Arabic's elevated stature and the importance of encouraging future generations to invest in it and take pride in it.
"As a researcher with a passion for poetry recitation and voice work, I see these platforms as opportunities to connect and keep Arabic alive for the next generation."
