Things to do in the UAE this week, from modified cars to a kimono exhibition

Hillary Clinton will speak, Najwa Karam will be on stage and Holi is set to bring a splash of colour to a Dubai park

Modified cars and motorbikes will be the driving force behind an event for petrolheads at Expo City Dubai this week. Photo: Custom Show Emirates

It's set to be an eventful week, with something on offer for everyone, from motorheads and music lovers to families with young children.

Here, The National rounds up seven things to do in the Emirates, from March 6 to March 12.

Monday

The Forbes 30/50 Summit commences in Abu Dhabi on Monday, in time for International Women's Day on Wednesday. The event includes high-profile female speakers, including Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, Hillary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai.

The week-long summit also includes networking meet-ups (Monday and Tuesday); a panel by Clinton, who will moderate a talk with former tennis champion Billie Jean King, Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, and American journalist Gloria Steinem, a leading feminist voice since the 1960s (Wednesday at 4.15pm); a townhall with EbonyLife Media chief executive Mo Abudu, I Am A Voter creator and political activist Mandana Dayani and actresses Nazanin Boniadi and Catherine O’Hara (Thursday at 10am); and a "fireside" chat with Suneera Madhani, founder of fintech firm Stax (Friday at 10.15am).

Until Friday, various times and locations in Abu Dhabi; $10,000 for all five days. More information is available at www.forbes.com/connect/event

Tuesday

Textile specialist Corentin de Sade has brought his collection of kimonos from Japan's Meiji and Heisei eras to the UAE for the first time. These, alongside hundreds of old stencils and sketches from Japanese master craftsmen, are on display at a free exhibition at Esmod Dubai, Academic City.

Visitors can learn about the symbolic components of a kimono, as well as see rare fabrics and fibres used to create some of the kimonos, including bashofu (banana fibre) and monomushi, which is a rare wild silk.

De Sade recently held a workshop for students at Esmod Dubai, before the pieces went on display. Tuesday is the last day to see them.

Until Tuesday, 10am-6pm; Esmod Dubai, Academic City

Wednesday

Makani Mall Al Shamkha in Abu Dhabi is hosting the Little Farmer activity.

The event will feature a range of child-friendly activities, including planting workshops, stone art, basket weaving and origami, all of which aim to teach children values such as sustainability and environmentalism.

Spend Dh50 at any of the stores inside the mall for one entry ticket.

Until March 20; 8am-midnight (mall timings); 2pm-9pm (Little Farmer activation); Al Shamkha, Abu Dhabi

Thursday

World Art Dubai returns on Thursday for its ninth edition.

More than 4,000 artworks from hundreds of international artists will be on display at Dubai World Trade Centre. There will also be live performances, interactive workshops, talks and panel discussions.

Workshops include flower drawing, fashion design, jewellery making and clay pot painting. Art and numerology, redefining artistic success and sustainable art are some of the topics set to be discussed by panels throughout the four-day art fair.

Until Sunday; Thursday 11am-5pm, Friday to Sunday 1pm-9pm. Adult tickets Dh20, children's tickets Dh10; World Trade Centre, Dubai; dubai.platinumlist.net

Friday

Lebanese singer Najwa Karam. AFP

Lebanese pop star Najwa Karam, one of the bestselling artists from the Middle East, is set to perform at Dubai Opera on Friday.

The Arabs Got Talent judge is known for blending traditional and contemporary Arabic music. Some of her hits include Maghroumi (1998) and the follow-up Maghroumi 2 (2021).

Karam has performed in the UAE for a string of New Year's Eve celebrations. In 2016, she staged a sold-out show in Abu Dhabi; in 2019, she performed in Ras Al Khaimah; and in 2021, she performed with Syrian singer Nassif Zeytoun in Dubai.

Friday 9pm-onwards; from Dh250; Dubai Opera; www.dubaiopera.com

Saturday

At Expo City Dubai, an array of customised cars and bikes will be on display as part of the returning Custom Show Emirates, which runs from Friday to Sunday. The modified motors promise “high-octane entertainment for enthusiasts”, according to the website.

Other activities include 4x4 drifting, stunt driving, a remote control car arena and a motorsports hall, plus an extra garage for little ones.

Friday to Sunday 10am-10pm; from Dh90 (single day pass); Expo City Dubai; dubai.platinumlist.net

Sunday

Zabeel Park in Dubai is celebrating Holi, the Indian festival of colour, with an open-air, family-friendly event on Sunday.

Expect food stalls serving traditional Indian delicacies and Bollywood hits from DJs Chandan, Raw, Rizwan and Sunny. Visitors will also have the chance to play with coloured powders and water.

Holi signifies the arrival of spring and, for many Hindus, the triumph of good over evil. Held in March on the full moon night known as Phalgun Purnima in the Hindu calendar, the date changes slightly every year, falling on March 8 this year.

Sunday 10am-onwards; from Dh30; Zabeel Park, Dubai; dubai.platinumlist.net