Nadine Labaki, Hend Sabry and Mo Amer to speak at Congress of Arabic & Creative Industries in Abu Dhabi

Creatives, technologists and policymakers will converge at Etihad Arena to discuss role of AI in regional creative industries

Lebanese director Nadine Labaki will appear at the two-day congress in Abu Dhabi this September. AFP

Palestinian-American actor and comedian Mo Amer and Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki will participate in this year’s International Congress of Arabic & Creative Industries, taking place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on September 14 and 15.

They will be joined by Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, and a number of other content creators, technologists and policymakers to discuss future opportunities and challenges in telling stories from the Arab world. Entry is free upon registration.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the congress will look at how artificial intelligence is reshaping regional creative industries with sessions focusing on how it enhances storytelling and audience development, preserves heritage and sparks new forms of creative entrepreneurship.

Also part of the programme is a panel looking at how to maintain the appeal of Arabic language for future generations.

Following core strands focusing on industry capacity building and a showcase of youth creative projects, the event will also feature exhibition stands and representatives from companies including Google, Meta, Snap Inc and TikTok.

It will mark the return of the Innovation Awards – a competition encouraging students to pitch ideas to promote the Arabic language.

The event brings regional and global practitioners to the UAE for discussions. Photo: Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre

“This year’s Congress of Arabic & Creative Industries marks a bold new chapter in our mission to position Arabic creativity at the forefront of global cultural discourse,” Ali bin Tamim, chairman of Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, tells The National.

“By convening some of the most dynamic thinkers and creators from the region and beyond, we are not only redefining the narrative around Arabic culture, but also actively shaping the future of storytelling.”

Launched in 2022, the congress has steadily expanded from its focus on publishing to include the state of the creative industries. Last year’s event featured DCT Abu Dhabi chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, who called for a renewed role for the creative sector in education.

“This is an investment of the mind when it comes to school curricula, when it comes to cultural programming in understanding what the Arab world has contributed,” he said. “It is not just about the present and past, but also the future.”

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, at the International Congress of Arabic Publishing & Creative Industries in 2024. Photo: Abu Dhabi Language Centre

Al Mubarak highlighted the need for new Arabic cultural content to reach younger generations and stressed that the UAE’s growing creative economy, which at the time of the event employed more than 400,000 people and contributed four per cent to the GDP, is already a key driver of that shift.

Egyptian-American economist Mohamed El Erian, also present at last year’s event, praised the UAE’s investments in artificial intelligence as a tool for enhancing rather than replacing creativity. “AI is going to impact every single person,” he said. “But I see that AI will be less of a replacement and more of an enhancer.”