ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 21st Dec, 2024) The United Arab Emirates witnessed a remarkable cultural movement throughout 2024, solidifying its position as a global hub for culture, creativity, and talent.
The UAE strengthened its efforts to transform the cultural sector into a key pillar of sustainable economic development, maintaining its commitment to preserving, documenting, and passing down heritage through festivals, events, and activities held across the nation.
In 2024, significant cultural milestones were achieved. The UAE Cabinet approved the National Grant Program for Culture and Creativity, upgrading the UAE Medal for Culture and Creativity to the UAE Order for Culture and Creativity.
Additionally, the UAE Government issued a Federal decree-law to empower the arts sector through regulating the activities of non-profit artistic institutions and offering a range of benefits to artists and the creative sector.
Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the UAE announced the establishment of the UAE National Orchestra, underscoring the country’s dedication to fostering arts and highlighting their role in shaping societal identity and promoting unity and connection.
Reflecting the UAE’s artistic diversity and societal fabric, the National Orchestra will celebrate the nation’s musical heritage while embracing contemporary musical styles from around the world.
The UAE also unveiled significant archaeological discoveries in 2024, enriching evidence of the civilisations that once thrived in the region.
Artefacts discovered at the rock shelter in Al Dour Cave, Fujairah, include stone tools, animal bones, and fireplaces dating back 13,000 to 7,500 years. Additionally, Bronze Age artefacts were found at Umm Al Nar in Abu Dhabi, while Roman gold coins were uncovered at Tell Abraq in Umm Al Qaiwain.
In Abu Dhabi, the Noor & Salam Museum opened within the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre. This museum features five sections offering interactive experiences, employing advanced technologies and multimedia to showcase rare and unique artefacts.
Dubai launched the Dubai Photography Museum, the first of its kind in the UAE. This initiative aims to strengthen the museum sector in Dubai, document the history of photography in the region and the world, and display a unique collection of related artefacts.
The UAE ranked first in the Arab world and 26th globally in the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) 2024, which measures nations’ performance across various fields of knowledge.
The eighth edition of the Reading Challenge achieved unprecedented participation, with over 28.2 million students, more than 229,000 schools, and over 154,000 supervisors involved in its competitions.
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award continued to expand its global reach, receiving over 4,000 submissions from 75 countries for its 19th edition. Among these, 20 were Arab countries, and 55 were foreign nations, with first-time participation from Albania, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mali.
The 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair hosted over 2,500 publishers and exhibitors from 112 countries, attracting 1.82 million visitors worldwide. For the fourth consecutive year, it was recognised as the world’s largest book fair for buying and selling publishing rights.
Similarly, the 33rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair welcomed over 200,000 visitors, with 1,350 publishers from 90 countries participating.
One of the year’s most notable cultural initiatives was the launch of the Dubai Cultural Grant Programme. This programme, aimed at developing the cultural and arts sectors while supporting creative communities across the UAE and Dubai in particular, will provide AED180 million in grants over ten years to empower local talents across various cultural and creative industries.
