DUBAI: The UAE capital is preparing to host the seventh edition of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, a global forum for cultural exchange and dialogue, from April 27-29 at Manarat Al-Saadiyat.
Organized by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, the three-day event will bring together policymakers, artists, scholars, and innovators to explore the theme “Culture for Humanity and Beyond,” focusing on the intersection of culture, technology and global governance.
The program will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, artist talks, and workshops.
Confirmed speakers include Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer at Google X; philosopher Susan Buck-Morss; Prof. Iyad Rahwan from the Max Planck Institute; and Glenn D. Lowry, director of MoMA.
Other prominent voices set to appear include Sir William Sargent of Framestore, and Koyo Kouoh, executive director and chief curator of Zeitz MOCAA.
The panels will explore a wide range of topics, including the impact of artificial intelligence on the creative industries.
Sessions such as “AI Revolution: Redefining Creativity in the Age of Machines,” “Should Governments Regulate AI to Compensate the Creative Industries?” and “The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Cinema” will address the growing role of generative technologies in reshaping artistic expression, intellectual property and creative labor.
The summit will also revisit cultural policy discussions, hosting the second edition of the Mondiacult Ministerial Dialogue. The two-part session will bring together more than 10 ministers of culture to explore the influence of AI on culture and the role of the arts in peacebuilding and sustainability.
Another key session will examine the implementation of the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education, building on outcomes from a related global conference held in Abu Dhabi in early 2024.
Highlighting culture as a public good, the summit will include sessions on environmental sustainability, heritage preservation, and cultural governance. Sessions will include “Turning Green: What Happens When Cultural Leaders Take Action for the Planet” and “From Ruins to Resilience: A New Era of Heritage Rehabilitation.”
Creative voices such as Thomas Heatherwick, Colleen Atwood, Refik Anadol, and Herbie Hancock will participate in artist talks and panels. The program will also feature conversations between prominent figures, including philanthropist Maja Hoffmann, architect Hashim Sarkis, and director Sir John Akomfrah, as well as a session on jazz and humanity led by Hancock and journalist John Ridding.
Attendees will also be able to engage with the work of regional talents, including poet and artist Alia Al-Shamsi, designer Omar Al-Gurg, and architect Abdalla Almulla, offering insights into the UAE’s growing creative sector.
The event’s global partners include UNESCO, The Economist Impact, Design Museum, Google, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, and the Recording Academy. Additional collaborators range from regional institutions such as Louvre Abu Dhabi and Cultural Foundation to international cultural bodies such as Institut du Monde Arabe, TeamLab and the Herbie Hancock Jazz Institute.
