This page was produced by The National in partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Art 2025 Festival.
Memory shapes who we are and how we live, but our recollections change with each retelling. That’s fertile ground for artists to explore and excavate, which goes a long way to explaining why more than 1,500 submissions were sent in to the Ras Al Khaimah Art 2025 Festival.
The month-long event begins on Friday, January 31, and runs until the end of February. From artworks, light installations and film screenings to expert panels, crafts workshops and restaurant pop-ups, the action takes place at Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, the region’s only surviving pearling village, south of Ras Al Khaimah city and just 90km from Dubai.
The festival is the largest event in the emirate’s cultural calendar. A record number of visitors are expected at its 13th edition this year, following on from more than 54,000 attendees last year. Almost half of them travelled from outside Ras Al Khaimah to be inspired and entertained – from the wider UAE and internationally.
A record 51 Emirati artists submitted work to exhibit at the event, an indication of how much art is shaping the nation’s landscape. In total, more than 100 local and international creatives are showcasing their own meditations on the recollection of moments, places, people, and beyond – personal and collective.
As Suqrat bin Bisher, Director of Ras Al Khaimah Art 2025 Festival says, the theme offers an opportunity to explore the echoes of individual and collective consciousness, unearthing the stories, traditions, and moments that shape our identities. “This year’s festival is a celebration of nostalgia and discovery, a tribute to the beauty and complexity of memory as an enduring source of creativity. Together, we honour the past, illuminate the present, and inspire the dreams of tomorrow,” he says.
Memory as muse: how artists interpret the 2025 theme
Curation, then, revolves around personal journeys, connections and catharsis. “I believe that those who engage in visual creation, as in my case photographs, somehow always want to fix their memories on something material to relive them in the future. When memories become distant, images help us to keep our history, our encounters and experiences alive,” says festival guest curator Alfio Tommasini.
You’ll see what he means in the Garden of Self-Reflected Memories. The immersive art installation brings the past alive in a ‘house of light’ that mirrors the ancient architecture of Al Jazeera Al Hamra.
Elsewhere, Anja Bamberg offers a grim reality check about plastic pollution with her water-themed walkthrough installation, Suspended Threads, created using discarded 2,000 plastic water bottles. “There is too much plastic in the ocean and this excessive plastic waste is lethal for our environment, the marine life and ultimately humanity itself as we ingest microplastic through the food chain,” she says in an interview with The National. “The central question would be: Can plastic be replaced? I hope the installation encourages people to think about alternative materials and sustainable solutions to reduce plastic consumption.”
Among the Emiratis showing at the festival is aircraft engineer and artist Suaad Alshamsi. She uses oil, mixed media, acrylic and stones to highlight the role women have played in shaping the UAE. Every woman she’s met has inspired her and all the memories she has gathered she’s translated into her art: “My mother, my grandmother, my friends… the new generation knows nothing about great women in the past,” she says.
Elsewhere, a series of exhibitions and interactive displays in partnership with the Marinko Sudac Foundation bring new art and historical artefacts to Ras Al Khaimah. Italian artist Baldo Diodato uses imprinting techniques to document how humans interact with urban spaces, while Linda Nieuwstad from the Netherlands presents a larger-than-life flower installation as part of a Dutch exhibit on sustainability.
Among the museum pieces on show, a collection of previously unseen manuscripts, sailors’ journals, handwritten poetry and personal notes from Ras Al Khaimah luminaries offer a window into the emirate’s history. Maps of the region that would become the UAE, created by British surveyors and hydrographers over more than 250 years, are part of an exhibit dedicated to the late author and naturalist Peter Hellyer.
Four weekends of art, workshops and events
Events this year span four jam-packed weekends. Beginning this Friday, here are the calendar’s highlights at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village:
- Opening weekend: A celebration of Ras Al Khaimah’s cultural legacy kicks off on Opening Weekend (January 31 to February 2) at 9pm on Friday. Opening night celebrates Ras Al Khaimah’s heritage and artistic contributions with a showcase of art and culture, featuring works by local and global artists. Through to next Sunday, specialists will teach different art techniques. Jewellery designer Lia Staehlin explains enamel painting copper pendants at 1pm on Saturday, February 1, while Rakhi Sawalani explores the emotional impact of colour using acrylics at 11am on Sunday.
- Going back in time: The festival’s second weekend, February 7 to 9, is themed Back in Time. Two workshops on Friday, February 7, focus on protecting your memories, aligning with the event’s theme. At 4pm, it is Angelique Lucero on the art of flower preservation, with Ayesha Fernandes on embroidering photographs on to fabric at 5pm.
- Bringing families together: From February 14 to 16, explore environmental and social themes. On the Friday, Sanaa Merchant shows how resin art captures the ocean’s beauty (4pm), while Katherine Rich explores narratives of animal encounters (5pm). The Saturday panel looks at bonds between architecture, memory, and cultural identity (4pm). On Sunday, February 16, Smahane Drissi promotes upcycling with denim collages (11am). Among the other events, heritage studies specialist Dr Eman Assi joins landscape designer Will Bennett and urban planner Yomna Garada to explore how architecture, memory, and cultural identity connect. That’s in Stones and Stories: Impact of Architecture on Memory on February 15 at the Puro Lounge Area. It is part of the weekly speaker series. The same day, author Katherine Rich launches and reads from her new book, Nature Walks. It is being billed as a David Attenborough-style book for children that explores flora and fauna of the UAE through storytelling, illustrations, and personal encounters. The reading takes place at Abdulkareem House.
- Forming collective identities: The final weekend, February 21 to 23, focuses on culture. On February 22, Ghaleya Almansoori demonstrates the art of painting on traditional local materials such as palm fronds and wood (3pm) while Shatha Al Rubaei chips away at the mysteries of ceramic house building (4pm). Other highlights are poetry recitals by Majeed Al Khatiri at 6.30pm on February 22, followed by an oud performance from Hooman Shirali (7pm). Both take place at Abdulkareem House. The next day, award-winning Canadian environmentalist and painter Peter Farrington speaks about the intersection of ecology, memory and creative expression in Green Recollections: Nurturing Ecological Memory.
Edible art takes the stage
Like art, the best food can be a multisensory experience. Ras Al Khaimah Art 2025 Festival blurs the lines between the two with a series of cultural dining experiences worth travelling to.
Two pop-ups showcase the emirate’s sustainability credentials. Antica Australis fuses rustic Italian fare with Emirati and Australian flavours – made using sustainably farmed and locally grown ingredients wherever possible. There are two seatings each Saturday, at 1pm and 7pm, and one on Sundays at 1pm. From Dh400 a person.
Then there’s Belly of the Beast, a one-of-a-kind culinary adventure starring chefs Anouchka Horn and Neil Swart. The menu remains a surprise until you’re at the event. That’s on March 1.
Both events are part of a wide range of culinary experiences integral to the festival’s cultural immersion. Visitors can experience innovation in dining at the event or engage with the region’s food traditions, such as at the Barasti Market’s Emirati offerings. At the RAK Art Food Market, where vendors from across the UAE will put their own artistic twists on classic street eats from around the world.
Heritage, art and culture on tour
Several tours are organised each festival weekend, offering the opportunity to savour the emirate’s best.
Heritage tours walk participants through Ras Al Khaimah’s rich history and culture at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village. The free weekly art tours explore exhibitions and offer the opportunity to meet with local artists, while food walks visit the best historic eateries in the emirate’s Old Town. This being Ras Al Khaimah, visitors can also hear about ghosts, genies and other cultural legends as part of the event’s mystical tours.
Some tours need to be booked in advance on the festival website.
Indoor and outdoor film screenings from the UAE and Japan
Catering to the film-crazy segment of the UAE is Vox Cinema with indoor and outdoor screenings all through the Ras Al Khaimah Art 2025 Festival.
The cinema operator has a curated selection that celebrates culture and storytelling. Friday screenings take place under the stars at Al Jazeera Al Hamra Heritage Village, on Fridays, February 7, 14 and 21, while the Saturday sessions are at Al Hamra Mall on February 1, 15 and 22. If you’re a film lover looking for a weekend escape, this one’s for you.
Programme highlights include two films by documentary filmmaker Ali Fuad, one of the festival’s 2024 Film Grant Awardees. The resident’s work explores the region’s rich pearling traditions.
There is also a schedule of compelling Japanese cinema. Organised in collaboration with the embassy of Japan in the UAE, they explore chess rivalries, digital scams and android-human relationships.
Event details
Ras Al Khaimah Art 2025 Festival begins on January 31 and runs until February 28. It takes place at Al Jazeera Al Hamra heritage village, with additional events around the emirate.
More details and information about bookings, tours or dining, is at Rakart.ae
First-round leaderbaord
-5 C Conners (Can)
-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);
-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)
Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)
Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)
1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)
3 R McIlroy (NI)
4 D Johnson (US)
The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
WWE Evolution results
- Trish Stratus and Lita beat Alicia Fox and Mickie James in a tag match
- Nia Jax won a battle royal, eliminating Ember Moon last to win
- Toni Storm beat Io Shirai to win the Mae Young Classic
- Natalya, Sasha Banks and Bayley beat The Riott Squad in a six-woman tag match
- Shayna Baszler won the NXT Women’s title by defeating Kairi Sane
- Becky Lynch retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match
- Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women’s title by beating Nikki Bella
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Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
Facebook | Our website | Instagram
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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