ART EVENT Dubai Culture Extends Support to UAE National Day Celebration at Expo Milano 2015

The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, has underlined its continued support to the Expo 2020 Dubai through its participation in the UAE National Day celebration at Expo Milano 2015 by highlighting the rich creative scene of Dubai.

The UAE National Day celebrations at Expo Milano 2015 was organised by the Expo 2020 Dubai team with an array of cultural activities including an exhibition highlighting the heritage of the UAE, representing the desert, oasis, marine and modernity.

#DearDubai activation at Expo Milan 2015 / Courtesy of The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture)

As part of the celebration, Dubai Culture showcased the first edition of ‘Creative Dubai: Arts, Culture and Design Capital,’ a book that chronicles the evolution of Dubai’s creative industry with insightful interviews of creative professionals who have been an integral part of the rewarding journey. It documents the progress that Dubai has achieved in driving the creative sector over the years.

To be officially launched in Dubai later this year, ‘Creative Dubai: Arts, Culture and Design Capital’ showcases the diverse initiatives led by the government and the private sector that helped the city to achieve transformational growth as a cultural capital, taking it one step closer to achieve the goal of Dubai Plan 2021 to establish Dubai as a ‘city of happy, creative and empowered people.’

With Dubai preparing to host the Expo 2020, Dubai Culture also offered the opportunity for visitors to the UAE Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 to send their felicitations and well wishes to the people of Dubai and the UAE under the hashtag, #DearDubai. Dubai Culture provided iPads at the venue with a special App that featured a number of customised post-cards made of artwork and photographs by Emirati and UAE-based artists. Visitors only had to choose their image of choice, key in their wishes and send it, with the greetings being shared on Duba Culture’s social media networks.

Further, Dubai Culture also created customised post-cards that were distributed to the members of the Higher Preparatory Committee of Dubai Expo 2020 and the other international official delegations that attended the event, for writing their vision of Dubai in five years. The post-cards were collated to create a memento on the UAE Day at Expo Milano 2015.

#DearDubai customised post-cards / Courtesy of The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture)

#DearDubai customised post-cards / Courtesy of The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture)

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: “The UAE National Day celebrations at Expo Milano 2015 served as a compelling tribute to the cosmopolitan outlook of the UAE and Dubai as well as our rich heritage that is the cornerstone of our National identity. As we prepare to welcome the world to our city for the Expo 2020, Dubai Culture will continue to build the spirit of global collaboration, international partnerships and cultural exchange through various initiatives.”

Her Highness added: “‘Creative Dubai’ has been produced as an introductory display of the different facets that make up city’s cultural and design industries, and through the perspective of the creative community, underlines the evolution of the city’s creative scene. Our goal is to work with the creative community around the world and support the preparations of Expo 2020 Dubai to host the ‘best Expo’ the world has witnessed.”

A colourful parade was held to mark the UAE Day at Expo Milano 2015 that included Ayala dancers and drummers, children’s dance, Italian hosts in traditional Emirati attire and professionals as UAE National Flagbearers. Dubai Culture’s participation at the celebration builds on its ongoing support to the diverse activities being held as part of the preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai.

Earlier this year, Dubai Culture hosted the third international edition of ‘Dubai Next,’ a dynamic platform highlighting the vibrant creative scene of Dubai, at the opening week of Expo Milano 2015 and at the 56th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia.

The Dubai Next discussions covered wide-ranging topics including an introduction to the UAE’s creative economy, contemporary design practices, architecture & sustainability and historic inspirations & preserving spaces. They were led by UAE’s leading cultural professionals, who presented a compelling portrait of the tremendous potential for creative collaboration offered by Dubai to a global audience.