As the UAE marks the Year of the Family, a new festival in Abu Dhabi is set to bring communities together in a shared spirit of giving at Manarat Al Saadiyat this week.
Athar Festival, launched by the Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority (Awqaf Abu Dhabi), will run from Wednesday, March 25, until Sunday, turning the cultural space into a hub of activity anchored in generosity and connection.
The family-focused event will feature live performances, hands-on workshops and interactive experiences, while stalls will showcase small businesses and local creatives.
Held with the theme, With You for Life, the festival will centre on community and invite people not only to attend, but to take part in a wider act of support.
Every ticket purchased and activity joined will go towards the Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans initiative, which was launched in February. The initiative aims to establish a sustainable funding source to support orphan care.
“Endowment ensures lasting impact and long-term empowerment for orphans as opposed to temporary support,” said Fahad Abdulqader Al Qassim, director general of Awqaf Abu Dhabi.
“The event, aligned with the Year of Family, reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to family cohesion, social solidarity and shared responsibility. We invite community members to visit the Athar Festival as an expression of the values that define UAE society, because every contribution makes a difference.”
Awqaf’s previous endowment campaign, launched during the Year of Community, raised nearly Dh1 billion in four weeks with contributions from more than 200,000 donors.
What is the Year of Family?
President Sheikh Mohamed last year directed that 2026 be designated Year of the Family, as part of the National Family Growth Agenda 2031, to put the Emirati family at the centre of development, social balance and sustainability.
This strategy will place promoting family values as an urgent priority within the government of the Emirates as a means to preserve culture and identity.
Policies and campaigns will promote the importance of preserving family cohesion and strong relations, state news agency Wam reported.
A national task force has also been formed comprising of more than 20 federal and local government entities concerned with family growth. These entities will focus on three priority areas: policies and programmes, behavioural interventions and reproductive health.
The task force will look to review current policies and programmes affecting family growth, understand the social motivations impacting family growth and review current reproductive health initiatives.
