Under the umbrella of Digital Dubai, taking place under the theme ‘Digitising life in Dubai,’ Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced its participation in the 41stedition of GITEX Technology Week 2021, the largest technology exhibition in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia that will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 17 – 21 October. Through this pioneering event, the Authority will showcase the innovative technical solutions it has adopted to celebrate Dubai’s cultural and heritage treasures as well as its contemporary innovations that aim to enhance local and global access to the emirate’s cultural landscape and strengthen its global cultural position.
Dubai Culture is also participating in GITEX Future Stars 2021, the event dedicated to entrepreneurs and start-ups, where Saeed Mubarak Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, will highlight the importance of the creative economy as an economic sector that supports cultural tourism and supports the economic sectors of other countries as well as the cultural and creative industries that fall under this sector. He will also shed light on Dubai’s cultural vision, as well as on its thriving creative sector, and on the solutions and benefits that the emirate provides to its creative community. Dubai Culture is looking forward to welcoming all those interested in this field at Stand No. 124 in Zabeel Hall 4.
At its stand No. (15) under the Digital Dubai pavilion located at Sheikh Saeed Halls 2 and 3, Dubai Culture will focus on its most prominent services and smart projects in the culture and arts fields, including the ‘Dubai’s Culture and Heritage’ project on the Google Arts & Culture platform that provides members of the public around the world with rich cultural content supported by information, interactive panoramic images and short films. As part of its strategic roadmap and objective to make culture accessible to all, the Authority will also provide virtual tours of Etihad Museum and Al Shindagha Museum during the event.
Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication Department at Dubai Culture, said: “GITEX Technology Week is an ideal opportunity to showcase Dubai’s world-class digital infrastructure and smart services. With our participation in this event, we aim to strengthen the emirate’s leading position in the field of government digital transformation. Through our involvement, we also seek to emphasise our commitment to the Digital Dubai initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that aims to digitalise life in Dubai and ensure the happiness and well-being of community members through the use of digital technologies.”
“We are pleased to join this ambitious initiative through various technical solutions that we offer in order to allow users to easily interact with Dubai’svibrant cultural and artistic scene as well as support the emirate’s digital transformation and consolidate its position as the first digital economic capital in the world. With GITEX coinciding with Expo 2020 Dubai, we expect to receive a large number of visitors at our stand who would wish to be part of a journey of culture, creativity, and innovation in Dubai,” she added.
Al Suwaidi added: “In line with Dubai and the UAE’s strategy of digital transformation, the Authority believes in the importance of investing in future technology and advanced digital solutions to improve customer experience; achieve the optimum level of growth; enhance knowledge progress; provide valuable opportunities to support creative industries and creative talents; and highlight the rich cultural, heritage, and artistic landmarks in the emirate, which,in turn,strengthen the emirate’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent as well as a home for digital innovations.”
As the patron of culture and arts in Dubai, the Authority manages Etihad Museum and Al Shindagha Museum as well as provides the public with virtual tours of these two unique museums that document the UAE’s history and the authentic customs and traditions of its people.
With the collaboration of creative community members in Dubai,800 high-resolution iconic images are made available on ‘Dubai’s Culture and Heritage’ project on the Google Arts and Culture platform,which also includes 120 artefacts and more than 70 stories in Arabic and English documenting the emirate’s history and present through the eyes of its residents, Dubai Culture seeks to paint a comprehensive picture of the cultural richness of the emirate as well as of its unique identity and distinctive heritage.
Based on its strategic roadmap, Dubai Culture, as the government entity entrusted with the culture and arts sector in Dubai, is working to globally position Dubai as a preferred destination for all art and culture enthusiasts, a beacon of cultural diversity, an incubator for international talent, and a centre for creativity and cultural dialogue. The Authority also seeks to fulfil its cultural responsibility of preserving and celebrating the emirate’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.