The World Conference on Creative Economy is coming to Dubai Expo

The announcement was made during the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi

Noura Al Kaabi, the UAE's Minister of Culture and Youth. Courtesy UAE Ministry of Culture & Knowledge Development

Dubai Expo will host the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) in December, announced the UAE's Minister of Culture and Youth, Noura Al Kaabi, at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi.

Held online until Wednesday, and organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Culture Summit Abu Dhabi brings together global experts in the fields of design, heritage, media, public policy, technology and business for a series of speeches, panel discussions, case studies, artist talks and performances.

Al Kaabi said the WCCE is a result of a partnership with Indonesia, which hosted the inaugural event in Bali in 2018.

“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,” she said.

Al Kaabi also revealed the UAE government was in the final stages of unveiling a 10-year strategy to enhance the economic contributions made by the country's creative and cultural industries (CCI).

“The strategy, which prizes eight objectives, and almost 40 initiatives will be launched later this year,” she said.

“It will set the national economy policy for CCI. It would become our reference roadmap to make the creative sector among the top economic sectors in the region.”

What is the World Conference on Creative Economy?

The event gathers government and private sectors, think tanks and thought leaders for discussions and networking sessions on developing and addressing challenges to global creative and cultural industries.

Taking part in the event in 2018 was Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Emmy Award-winning US filmmaker Lisa Russell, Danish designer Troels Seidenfaden and representatives from the China Film Group Corporation.

Discussion over three days included keynote addresses on creating a more inclusive sector and the future of online gaming, as well as panel sessions on media diversity and the future of creative education.

Culture Summit Abu Dhabi concludes on Wednesday, with panel sessions on musical minds and innovation as well as separate concerts by Moroccan singer Oum and Tunisia’s Ghalia Benali.

Culture Summit Abu Dhabi runs until Wednesday. Attendance is free and open to the public. Registration is live on the website.

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