Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi kicks off 2026 with a packed calendar of global summits, cultural festivals, and world-class exhibitions.
Among the first highly anticipated events is this month’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which is set to return bigger and more ambitious than ever from January 11 to 15.
Hosted by Masdar, ADSW 2026 will unite governments, investors, and innovators to tackle interlinked global systems challenges - from climate finance and food security to AI driven energy grids.
The ADSW Summit, to be held from January 13 to 14 at ADNEC Centre, will feature over 100 speakers across more than 30 sessions.
Its adjacent programming includes the 16th IRENA Assembly (January 11–12), the 17th Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony (January 13), and the Green Hydrogen Summit (January 15), among other highlights.
In March, the first Emirates International Congress on Artificial Intelligence and Visionary Leadership in Transforming Healthcare (March 28–29) will convene healthcare executives, policymakers, and AI experts to explore how artificial intelligence can reshape patient care and health systems.
The Future Health Summit (April 7–9) will showcase the latest medical technologies and innovations, while the Money Expo Abu Dhabi (April 8–9) offers a platform for investors, fintech leaders, and finance professionals to engage with emerging market trends.
Then, the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice will gather policymakers and experts in Abu Dhabi to discuss strategies for international cooperation, legal frameworks, and crime prevention from April 25 to 30.
Culture and Entertainment
Abu Dhabi’s entertainment scene in 2026 is set to be as diverse as it is vibrant. A centrepiece of the emirate’s cultural calendar, the Qasr Al Hosn Festival will celebrate Abu Dhabi’s heritage at the city’s oldest standing structure from January 17 to February 1.
Across two weeks, visitors can explore interactive workshops, traditional exhibitions, performances, souks, and heritage storytelling that bring Emirati traditions to life.
The open air Saadiyat Nights Concert Series returns on January 10 with a lineup of international artists - from Diana Ross and John Mayer to Mariah Carey and Bryan Adams - blending live music with a beachfront ambience.
Taking place from February 6 to 15, the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026 is expected to draw more than 25,000 athletes for 10 days of competition across more than 30 sports, including swimming and track as well as traditional Emirati games.
At the ICC Hall of ADNEC, the Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival will celebrate the rich traditions of verse from February 9 to 13. The multi-day festival brings together poets, readings, workshops and performances showcasing both classical and contemporary voices.
A major cultural fixture for readers and publishers worldwide, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair returns from April 11 to 20 with a lineup of author talks, panels, children’s programming, workshops, and an extensive marketplace of books across genres.
Abu Dhabi is also hosting the Middle East Film and Comic Con from April 24 to 26 - a celebration of comics, gaming, cosplay, anime, TV, film and entertainment culture that draws fans and creators from across the Middle East and beyond.
Abu Dhabi Festival, the emirate’s premier arts and music festival, commences on April 12, bringing together over 1,000 artists from 19 countries to stages across the UAE capital.
The festival will feature performances spanning classical music, ballet, operatic recitals and orchestral concerts - including appearances by Grammy winning artists.
Culture programming will unfold across the Emirates Palace, The Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi and other landmark venues, fostering cultural dialogue through artistic excellence.
Art aficionados have much to look forward to with Louvre Abu Dhabi’s major exhibition, Picasso, the Figure, from January 21 to May 31. Installed in the museum’s striking dome lit galleries, the show traces Pablo Picasso’s lifelong engagement with the human form through loans from the Musée National Picasso Paris and the Louvre, offering viewers an intimate encounter with one of modern art’s defining figures.
