We live in a country that has a global culture. The preponderance of an expatriate workforce and the social and economic framework of the UAE mean that more than 200 nationalities from all creeds and religions live harmoniously side by side in what has become a multicultural melting pot.
This might seem a slightly cliched term but it is a true reflection of daily life in the UAE. At the same time, around the world, we know that three-quarters of the most violent and serious conflicts are caused by cultural differences.
Intolerance, hatred, racism and fanaticism are at the heart of our most serious disputes.
It is for that reason that, in 2002, the UN General Assembly, declared May 21 to be the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
Under this initiative, society leaders are encouraged to support sustainable systems of governance for culture and to increase opportunities for artists and cultural professionals.
This is vital; through the soft power of cultural conversation, long-lasting impacts can be made.
Long before its inception, the UAE has been laying a foundation for tolerance and respect.
The Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, said that "to treat every person, no matter what his creed or race, as a special soul, is a mark of Islam" and Mother of the Nation, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, said: "An educated human – man or woman – is the basis of civilisation and the axis of advancement and progress."
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In the Year of Zayed, it is even more evident that tolerance and knowledge have been key principles taken forward by our leaders, with Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, ensuring the same message of peace with an emphasis on education and building the social infrastructure of the country as we know it today.
One way to define culture is as a meeting point between information and understanding. Culture is based on facts, habits, traditions and rituals and also speaks to the soul of a community.
If we can look at another culture and hope for understanding rather than judgment, then we have reached a place for intercultural dialogue and appreciation of diversity.
The UAE has dedicated at least the past decade to a focus on cultural exchange.
In Abu Dhabi, the development of Saadiyat Cultural District and the building of world-class museums such as Louvre Abu Dhabi have gone a long way to extending knowledge and acceptance of different cultures and backgrounds.
In schools, curriculums have been extended to include not just the UAE’s own rich heritage and history but a diverse range of artistic and cultural topics to help to raise well-rounded, intelligent and informed young adults.
In addition to hosting diverse museums, the country organises hundreds of annual festivals that celebrate various art forms, including cinema, music, photography, theatre, painting, sculpture and heritage.
On a federal level, the UAE issued a law to combat discrimination and hatred in 2015 and 2016.
The Ministry of State for Tolerance was established alongside the national tolerance programme.
These initiatives reflect the keenness of our leadership to consolidate the values of harmony and co-existence to ensure safety, security and stability for all people.
Cultural projects are among the most effective ways to create spaces where all people can come together, engage in productive dialogue and pursue transformation.
This year in the UAE saw the second edition of the Culture Summit.
As a response to global challenges, including poverty, extremism, climate change and heritage preservation, the summit convenes government officials, philanthropists, arts administrators, business leaders, technologists and artists from 80 countries to discuss the role that culture can play in addressing such challenges.
With such visionary and pivotal events making up our annual calendar as well as the example that we take from our founding fathers, the UAE looks to inspire other countries to place similar value on shared heritage and culture and in that way, be a beacon to the world about how to foster real and lasting culture exchange.
Saif Saeed Ghobash is the undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Australia squads
ODI: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
T20: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The years Ramadan fell in May
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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