Youth and yoga at heart of UAE-India cultural projects, Emirati official says

Noura Al Kaabi says young people, artists and the private sector would serve to enrich UAE-India Cultural Council

Youth exchanges and the development of yoga as a sport are among projects set to begin over the next three months as part of the UAE-India Cultural Council, UAE's Minister of State Noura Al Kaabi has said.

The council held its second meeting in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, after the inaugural session in March in New Delhi.

Detailed discussions focused on an India House, expected to be established in Abu Dhabi, which would serve as a research centre and exhibition hub.

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Plans for a yoga festival in the UAE early next year with experienced trainers from India were among key subjects discussed in the meeting between top government officials of both countries.

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State, is seeking to strengthen cultural connections with India. Victor Besa / The National

The UAE has also been invited to set up an exhibition space in a Maritime Heritage museum in India’s Gujarat that will soon be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We need to tap the promising growth between our two nations,” Ms Al Kaabi told The National in Abu Dhabi. “There are a lot of exciting projects we are talking about, some will be rolled out within three months or less.

“The council helps in terms of strengthening the relationship and the footprint of projects between our two countries. This momentum will not only help both countries but can be a benchmark of what we can do with other countries. The commitment is there as is the passion to strengthen the relationship.”

K Nandini Singla, director general of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Victor Besa / The National

K Nandini Singla, director general of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, highlighted the importance of joint efforts to bolster long-standing ties.

“In the UAE we have 4.3 million Indians living here and they are a living bridge between our two countries,” she said.

“The whole idea of the India UAE Cultural Council is how do we strengthen the cultural bonds between our two countries, our two people, which are already thriving, robust.

“How do we as two governments become a convening platform to bolster, support these ties.

Cultural exhibitions that bring ancient historical manuscripts to the UAE, yoga trainers that teach yoga as a sport, education and research tie-ups between universities are high on the agenda.

Genesis of the council

The first meeting in March in New Delhi decided the council would cover culture, education, youth exchange, sports and tourism.

This followed discussions to boost bilateral ties between the President Sheikh Mohamed and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, later asked a UAE team to work on plans for a UAE India Cultural Council.

“The discussion and agreement in 2022 between our President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and Prime Minister Modi stipulated the importance of people-to-people connection and the cultural aspect,” Ms Al Kaabi said.

“Historical ties from thousands of years ago, a trade route, similarity of values, food, clothes – it goes beyond an economic and trade relationship. We grew up immersed with an Indian connection whether it's in Bollywood, food, textiles and spices. The Indian community is the biggest in the UAE and that bond is important.

“But we also want to have all this under an institution, where we can measure progress, understand the impact and build on it.”

India House as nucleus of ties

The talks on Thursday also covered setting up of an India House expected in Abu Dhabi and increasing yoga training in the UAE.

“We are in the early stages of discussions with regard to UAE’s India House and that is a flagship project,” she said. “We want to understand how this can also be a research centre and go beyond a platform to exhibit the traditions, cultural history of India and its connection to the UAE.

“I think it should be the nucleus of the UAE India Cultural Council and will be a hub that will involve everything to do the relationship between us and India.”

The cultural council is partnering with other UAE entities including the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, youth and sports to plan projects.

Yoga will be one of the key drivers over the next few months.

“Yoga will be an official sport in the Asian Games and therefore, this is another pathway of us in the UAE,” Ms Al Kaabi said. “How can we embed yoga, not just a way of life but as a sport so the Ministry of Sport is looking to see how it can be embedded in festivals.”

Indian tourists and artist visitors

Indian tourists account for the largest group of visitors to the UAE with approximately more than 7 million Indians travelling to the UAE last year.

Talks in the council covered improving services and amenities for Indian tourists, offering fellowships to the creative community and enabling academic exchange programmes.

“We have discussed how can we increase the number of the seven million plus tourists who visit the UAE?” she said. “How can we make it easier for them also to enjoy the facilities here in the UAE.

“We looked into how we can do more with offering artist fellowships, how can researchers from our universities spend time in India to study the humanities or for research.”

The participation of youth, academia and the private sector will be central to tie-ups with the aim for job creation in the arts, movie business and creative economy.

“We are working with our Indian counterparts to have an advisory board with the private sector, civil society, from academia, artists and young people. You would need that kind of a third eye to look at initiatives and contribute.

“We want to encourage and nourish this partnership and we also want it to be funded sometimes by the private sector. When they see a robust model between two serious governments that would help them kick it to the next level.”

Historic India-UAE ties – in pictures

The Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed, during a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, in 1975. Photo: National Archives

A gulf rupee, the currency of the Gulf until the mid 1960s. Amy Leang / The National

People visit the Joyalukkas Jewellery shop in Bur Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Dr Zulekha Daud, chairwoman of the Zulekha Healthcare Group. Reem Mohammed / The National

Sunny Varkey, founder and chairman of GEMS Education. Philip Cheung / Abu Dhabi Media Company

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, at the unveiling of the Abu Dhabi Hindu temple model in 2018. Photo: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha

Pooja Singh, Nilam ghorpade and Monika Sharma during Diwali celebrations at the India pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa/The National