The Cultural Summit - Abu Dhabi began today, Sunday, in the UAE, in its sixth edition, with participation from over 180 speakers, including leaders of institutions and influential figures in literature, art, media, and technology from around 90 countries. The summit program, held at Manarat Al Saadiyat until March 5, includes a series of meetings, dialogues, lectures, and workshops, along with a number of artistic and creative performances.
Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, opened the summit with verses from a poem by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE, which he translated into English. He also stated, "This summit does not focus solely on words; we believe here that actions are more impactful than words." He added, "It is a space to discuss our issues and seek tangible solutions, not only for our communities but for communities around the world."
The summit is themed "A Matter of Time," as participants will discuss how the relationship between humans and time has changed and the extent to which this change affects the production and reception of culture. Syrian poet Adonis noted in his speech that the summit "allows for a thorough and comprehensive reconsideration of the prevailing concepts of time in creativity and civilization." He added, "Regardless of how crises change or multiply, there remain two main times: the time of the self and the time of the other."
The first day’s program included a dialogue with Emirati singer Hussein Al Jasmi, moderated by Egyptian media personality Mona El Shazly, and a meeting with Nigerian writer and poet Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. The program also featured a seminar titled "The Role of the Writer in Approaching Time and the Ability to Remember," with British-Sudanese novelist Jamal Mahjoub, American-Palestinian poet Nathalie Handal, and Congolese writer Alain Mabanckou.
Among the participants in the subsequent sessions were the Ministers of Culture from Spain, Croatia, Cuba, Paraguay, Morocco, and the UAE, Kristine Danielsen, Chair of the Board of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies, and Nathalie Bondil, Director of Museums and Exhibitions at the Arab World Institute in Paris.
