The culture sector can play an integral role in efforts to tackle the major crises engulfing the world, according to Minister of Culture Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi.
In his speech at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi on Monday, Sheikh Salem said cultural and creative industries can offer solutions due to their inherent innovation and deep-rooted understanding of shared history.
“We cannot exist in a vacuum and have to be mindful of how global events are reshaping the world around us,” he told delegates. “Climate change, conflict destruction and health emergencies pose significant threats. All aspects of our lives are being affected, including our culture and our heritage.
“We must use this opportunity to gather here, over the course of the summit, to find real tangible solutions for us and the global communities in order to protect and preserve various forms of cultural expressions. Urgent co-ordinated action is needed now more than ever.”
Referring to Cop 28, which took place in Dubai in December, Sheikh Salem said the establishment of the Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action can play an important role by providing international recognition for culture-based climate action.
Co-chaired by the UAE and Brazil minister of cultures, the body was described by Sheikh Salem as an “informal coalition” of 32 countries and 25 intergovernmental and civil society organisations which aims to build political support for urgent policies to tackle climate change. The group is due to issue a report at Cop 29 in Azerbaijan in November.
Sheikh Salem also praised the success of last month's Unesco World Conference on Culture and Art Education in Abu Dhabi. The gathering of 190 ministers of education and culture concluded with a resolution to adopt a new international framework for art and culture education.
“The framework also recognised the significance of developing artistic and cultural knowledge so that the younger generation is able to pursue it in a professional capacity in the future,” he said.
The creative industries also need to be part of the conversation when it comes to grappling with rapid technological advancements, Sheikh Salem said. “Artificial intelligence has revolutionised the way culture is being produced and consumed,” he said.
“While it can present itself as a helpful tool in various aspects of cultural dissemination and promotion, we must also remember that safeguarding individual creativity and expression must remain a priority. Digital transformation and culture must serve to bridge gaps and definitely not widen them.
“Generative AI and other technology advancements are, however, making it clear that intellectual property protection today is more crucial than ever.”
Sheikh Salem pointed to the UAE’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence as an example of inclusive policymaking. “It is a blueprint for integrating artificial intelligence into various sectors including culture,” he added. “This strategy is not limited to economic growth, but also considers how we can enrich our cultural landscape for a sustainable and more liveable future.
“As practitioners, as policymakers, it's imperative that we consider how AI can help us transform cultural experiences and make them accessible and fair to the wider audience.”
Culture Summit Abu Dhabi continues until Tuesday. Other government dignitaries scheduled to speak include Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.
There will also be discussions by industry leaders such as Harvey Mason Jr, chief executive of the Recording Academy, which organises the Grammy Awards, about the growing influence of artificial intelligence in creative industries.
The full programme and registration details are at culturesummitabudhabi.com
Match info
Manchester United 1 (Van de Beek 80') Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 7', Zaha pen 74' & 85')
Man of the match Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Brown/Black belt finals
3pm: 49kg female: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) v Thamires Aquino (BRA)
3.07pm: 56kg male: Hiago George (BRA) v Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA)
3.14pm: 55kg female: Amal Amjahid (BEL) v Bianca Basilio (BRA)
3.21pm: 62kg male: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) v Joao Miyao (BRA)
3.28pm: 62kg female: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR)
3.35pm: 69kg male: Isaac Doederlein (BRA) v Paulo Miyao (BRA)
3.42pm: 70kg female: Thamara Silva (BRA) v Alessandra Moss (AUS)
3.49pm: 77kg male: Oliver Lovell (GBR) v Tommy Langarkar (NOR)
3.56pm: 85kg male: Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE) v Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA)
4.03pm: 90kg female: Claire-France Thevenon (FRA) v Gabreili Passanha (BRA)
4.10pm: 94kg male: Adam Wardzinski (POL) v Kaynan Duarte (BRA)
4.17pm: 110kg male: Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE) v Joao Rocha (BRA
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
'Young girls thinking of big ideas'
Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.
“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”
In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.
“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”
Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.
“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
