Mother of the Nation Festival to be held at new Abu Dhabi corniche development

The 600-metre A’l Bahar family district will open to host the festival on March 22

Rendering of beachfront community space A’l Bahar. Courtesy Miral

The anticipated new beach development at Abu Dhabi corniche will officially be unveiled as part of The Mother of the Nation Festival in March.

Built by Miral, the 600-metre A’l Bahar - Arabic for "by the sea" - family district will open to the public and be utilised by the arts and culture festival which runs from March 22 to 31.

Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism, the festival is a celebration of the life of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, wife of UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed, chairwoman of the General Women's Union, president of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation

The festival will have a daily programme spread across six zones across the festival site.

The centre piece of the event is the Pavilion, which will explore Sheikha Fatima's achievement, impact on UAE history and her role in inspiring generations of Emriati women.

The Happiness zone is aimed at children with activities ranging from obstacle courses to arts activities focusing on UAE heritage.

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The Souq Zone will host an array of shops and stalls selling an assortment of items ranging from traditional clothing and jewellery to modern art works.

Closer to the beach will be the dining area featuring food trucks, stalls and seating areas where you can watch the musical action on the main stage.

The festival boasts a strong list of Emirati musical talent, including the popular crooner Mohammed Al Shehhi, the fusion group Funk Radius led by Emirati soul singer Hamdan Al Abri and oud virtuoso Faisal Al Saari.

Also taking the stage is Ensijam, a 17-piece regional orchestra playing traditional folk songs from the Arab World and the fusion group Lulu Project featuring Jordanian guitarist Kamal Musallam and Emirati band Sokoor Al Magabeel.

“The festival not only honours Her Highness’s vision, care and values that she has instilled into our society, but will also celebrate all mothers here in the UAE and their fortitude, resilience and aspirations in raising our future generations,” said Department of Culture and Tourism director general, Saif Ghobash.

"We will once again create a vibrant, welcoming and engaging atmosphere at the festival for the entire family to enjoy. Residents and tourists from all nationalities will find a wealth of entertainment on offer during the third edition of the Mother of the Nation Festival."