DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 14th Oct, 2025) The Museum of the Future hosted the inaugural session of its new “Master Class” series in collaboration with the Great Arab Minds initiative, featuring world-renowned Iraqi artist Dia Al-Azzawi, winner of the 2024 Great Arab Minds Award and one of the leading figures in contemporary Arab visual art.
The session brought together a distinguished group of artists, experts, creatives, academics, art students, and cultural enthusiasts from across the UAE and abroad.
During the session, Al-Azzawi reviewed key milestones that have shaped modern Arab art as both a concept and a lived experience, highlighting its evolution into a global movement. He emphasised the role of art in expressing Arab identity, preserving the region’s visual memory, inspiring innovation, and the importance of Arabic calligraphy as a distinct expressive medium.
Al-Azzawi also presented an in-depth analysis of the symbols and artistic tools that contributed to shaping Arab aesthetic and cultural awareness over the decades, linking them to historical events that inspired Arab art schools and defined the uniqueness of his own creative journey.
The session included a display of interactive works and images documenting pivotal moments in the development of Arab and global art. Al-Azzawi shared a comprehensive vision of his artistic career spanning over five decades, which has extended beyond the Arab world to major international museums and art institutions.
He also addressed the evolving relationship between art and humanity, and the role of the artist in passing on cultural and human values to new generations capable of innovation and reimagining beauty in modern contexts.
The session, attended by a notable group of Emirati, Arab and international artists, university professors, and students from creative disciplines, included open dialogue and exchanges of artistic and cultural perspectives in an inspiring environment that promoted creativity, diversity, and openness.
The Master Class is part of the Museum of the Future’s role as the official headquarters of the Great Arab Minds initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It supports Arab creativity and cultural development by providing an intellectual and artistic platform that strengthens connections between Arab innovators and their audiences and opens new avenues for collaboration among artists, thinkers, and scientists across disciplines.
The programme is among the new platforms launched by the Museum of the Future as part of its 2025 agenda. Held regularly, the sessions feature select Arab innovators and creatives in fields including science, arts, literature, architecture, and technology. Attendance is limited to ensure a high-quality, interactive experience focused on dialogue and knowledge sharing in an environment that fosters critical and creative thinking.
The “Master Class” will continue with further sessions in the coming months, hosting prominent Arab figures in literature, architecture, philosophy, and the arts. The series strengthens the Museum of the Future’s role as a global centre for cultural dialogue and a platform for inspiring Arab talent to achieve new heights of influence and leadership.
Among the upcoming participants are renowned Algerian novelist Waciny Laredj, professor of literature at the University of Algiers and the Sorbonne, and recipient of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award; and Jordanian urban designer Sahel Al-Hiyari, who holds a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate school of Design and was selected for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.
Those wishing to attend the Museum of the Future’s Master Class events, which are held regularly in full-day lecture formats featuring one of the Great Arab Minds, are encouraged to register in advance to ensure a unique experience that prioritises rich dialogue and direct engagement.
