Dubai will host the International Council of Museums Conference in 2025.
The announcement was made on Saturday in a tweet by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Held every three years – with the next taking place in the Czech capital Prague in 2022 – the conference is the largest global gathering of museum representatives and professionals for discussions surrounding the promotion and protection of natural and cultural heritage, in addition to examining future industry trends.
Sheikh Mohammed said 20,000 museums from 119 countries will be represented in the Dubai event, with the resulting exchange of experience and knowledge to inject a "strong impetus to the [UAE's] cultural sector".
The International Conference of Museums Conference has released a statement on the theme for the 2025 event, with a particular focus on how the cultural sector can bounce back amid the pandemic.
“The world we live in today is vastly different from the one we used to know not so long ago. A torrent of events – a pandemic, massive protests, natural disasters, soaring inequalities, a technology and digital revolution, to name a few – has changed everything we thought we knew and led to the one thing we can be certain of: tomorrow will be uncertain,” reads the statement.
“We are all trying to learn to cope, adapt, change, progress within a fast-changing environment, with some communities and people better equipped than others to face the changes.
“Our museums have been going through the same process, albeit not always at the same pace. As we seek to transform ourselves and relate to others, so do our museums. And that is the explorative journey we are proposing at the conference: where might we go next, together – museums and communities, hand in hand, for a better future?”
The conversations in Dubai will build upon The Powers of Museums theme of the Prague conference, which will look at ways to strengthen and expand the capacity of museums, and their role in society and the global economy.
-
Some of the works from The Dubai Collection will be available for public viewing at the Etihad museum from November 6. Victor Besa / The National -
The exhibition features nearly 70 artworks. Victor Besa / The National -
When Images Speak exhibit is on view until May 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
'The Falling Dot', a 1972 painting by Iraqi painter Dia Al Azzawi. Victor Besa / The National -
Curated by Nada Shabout, When Images Speak unfolds into three thematic chapters. Victor Besa / The National -
Carlo Rizzo, special adviser to the Dubai Collection, gives a tour at the Etihad Museum. Victor Besa / The National -
A 1996 untitled work by Naziha Selim (Iraq, 1927-2008). From the private collection of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum -
Shaikha Al Mazrou's 'Visual Space', a 2021 work, on view at When Images Speak. From the private collection of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum -
Gazbia Sirry, 'The Six Refugees' (1960). From the private collection of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum -
Amine El Bacha's 'Mediterranee' (2004). From the private collection of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum -
An untitled work by Ayman Baalbaki from the 'Mulatham' series, 2012. Victor Besa / The National -
'Yasmin' (2020), by Afifa Aleiby. Victor Besa / The National -
Abstract works on view at When Images Speak. Victor Besa / The National -
A work by Iraqi artist Nouri Al Rawi. Victor Besa / The National -
Abdallah Benanteur's 'Les quatre elements' (1992). Victor Besa / The National -
Works by Jaber Alwan, left, and Ahmed Alsoudani. Victor Besa / The National -
An untitled work by Lebanese artist Saliba Douaihy. Victor Besa / The National
The UAE as a cultural hub
The latest announcement comes as the UAE continues to strengthen its standing as a global hub for culture.
This month Abu Dhabi was designated a Unesco City of Music.
The UAE capital was granted the distinction by the Unesco Creative Cities Network, a programme launched by the UN agency to promote co-operation among cities recognised as cultural hubs regionally and internationally.
Abu Dhabi joins more than 50 participating cities, including Liverpool in England, Ramallah in Palestine, Spain's Seville and the German city of Mannheim.
In December Dubai will also host the World Conference on Creative Economy.
Taking place from December 7 to 9, at Expo 2020 Dubai, the event will bring together global experts in the fields of design, heritage, the media, public policy, technology and business, for a series of speeches, panel discussions, case studies, artist talks and performances.
Follow the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai here
In announcing the event at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi in March, Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, said: “The core objective behind all the measures is to set up the foundations to aggregate, measure and nurture the sector in the UAE, and to ensure the provision of a required framework and policies for a thriving cultural sector.”
-
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque seen from Wahat Al Karama on a cloudy day in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Real estate company Aldar's headquarters in Abu Dhabi. It is the first circular building of its kind in the Middle East. Victor Besa / The National -
Capital Gate tower, developed in Abu Dhabi by Adnec, is more than 160 metres tall. Photo: Adnec -
Emirates Palace, pictured at sunset, in Abu Dhabi. The luxury hotel opened in 2005. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Adnoc Headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The building was completed in 2014 and is 342 metres tall. Reuters -
Hazy weather at Louvre Abu Dhabi. Designed by architect Jean Nouvel, the art museum is the largest in the Gulf. Victor Besa / The National -
Despite not yet being open to the public, the Museum of the Future is already a major Dubai landmark. The exterior displays an Arabic poem by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, about the emirate's future. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Before Burj Khalifa, there was Burj Al Arab. Designed to look like a billowing sail, the luxury hotel opened in 1999. AFP -
At a height of 829.8 metres, Burj Khalifa has held the record as the world's tallest building since opening in 2010. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Dubai Frame became the largest frame in the world when it opened in 2018. It is positioned to represent a window between Dubai's past and future. Pawan Singh / The National -
The 2,000-seat Dubai Opera was designed by Janus Rostock and opened in 2016 as a multi-format performing arts centre. Alamy -
Located at the apex of the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, Atlantis, The Palm was the first resort to be built on the artificial island. It opened in 2008 and contains 1,548 rooms – some of which are underwater. AFP -
One of Sharjah's most photographed landmarks, the Blue Souk is featured on the five dirham note. Antonie Robertson / The National -
The Khorfakkan Amphitheatre is a relatively new addition to Sharjah, having been inaugurated in December 2020. It can accommodate 3,600 people and sits beside a 45-metre tall waterfall. Pawan Singh / The National -
The design of Sharjah's Al Noor Mosque was influenced by an Ottoman-style mosque in Turkey. It can accommodate 2,600 worshippers and opened in 2005. Victor Besa / The National
