Culture Summit Abu Dhabi 2022 to return

The Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi has announced that the fifth edition of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi will take place from Oct. 23-25.
The leading global forum, held at Manarat Al-Saadiyat, is intended to explore the future of the culture sector and discuss creative cultural solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. 
  This year’s theme, “A Living Culture,” will look at current issues driving change in the cultural and creative industries, as well as the broader culture sector. 
  The program will look at what it means to embrace culture as a lived experience in a world transformed by COVID-19, as well as how culture has influenced individual and collective lives. 
  To address these pressing contemporary issues, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi will draw on the expertise of cultural leaders, artists, practitioners, scholars, educators, and creative professionals. 
  The program is designed so that each day delves deeper into a sub-theme.
On the first day, “Living Cultural Ecosystems” will take a sectoral approach, examining the emergence of dynamic cultural and creative ecosystems that are more adaptable, resilient and responsive to change. On that day, the summit will welcome the former heads of state of three countries: Dalia Grybauskait, former president of Lithuania from 2009-2019; Ivo Josipovi, former president of Croatia from 2010-2015; and Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi from 2012-2014. 
  On the second day, “Living in Culture” will consider how culture impacts people and communities through the lens of changing patterns of cultural participation. This theme examines how the pandemic prompted cultural industries to innovate in order to survive. Accessing digital cultural products and services became a social and psychological lifeline during lockdown. 
On the third day, “Culture, Diversity, Power” will focus on the challenges associated with the protection and promotion of cultural diversity, as well as how policies can support the expression of diversity sustainably. 
   Other topics that will also be discussed during the summit include the impact of digital media and artificial intelligence, a geographical focus on East Africa, and culture under the climate emergency
 Keynotes, panel discussions, artist talks, workshops, film screenings, creative conversations, and cultural performances are all part of the summit. 
Performances will be interwoven throughout, beginning each morning, including a dance performance by hip-hop choreographer Kader Attou and a musical performance by renowned oud player and composer Naseer Shamma.
    “We are excited once again to organise, alongside some incredible global partners, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi in the UAE’s capital. Abu Dhabi is committed to be a meeting place for cultural experts and professionals from various fields of expertise to come together and discuss the future of our sector and how we can build a diverse and more sustainable cultural ecosystem,” said DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al-Mubarak 
“As we get ready to welcome these global leaders, we are reminded of the shared responsibility we have to find solutions and shape policies that can address the pressing issues of our time and find ways to drive change in our global industry,” he added.
UNESCO Assistant Director General for Culture Ernesto Ottone said: “The fifth Culture Summit Abu Dhabi presents a timely opportunity for cultural stakeholders worldwide to share a common vision to revise current models and imagine more sustainable and resilient pathways for the future.”
    DCT Abu Dhabi is organizing the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi 2022 in collaboration with global partner organizations with expertise ranging from culture and arts to media and technology. UNESCO, Economist Impact, Google, the Design Museum, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, and the Recording Academy are among the partners. 
Other partners include Image Nation Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, Sandstorm Comics, the Cultural Foundation, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Berklee Abu Dhabi, Culture Resource, Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, and the Institut Francais.
-B