His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday directed the launch of a UAE Cultural Development Fund to support cultural activities within the country and encourage projects aimed at promoting the development of the UAE cultural products.

The fund will be overseen by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development and the key objectives include providing necessary funds for initiatives. The fund will also ensure the participation of all segments of the UAE society, including the private sector, in the implementation of cultural development plans.

Sheikh Mohammed also directed the ministry to work on the launch of a ‘Creative Industries Contributions Index’. It will reflect an unambiguous structure of the economic returns of cultural activities and highlight the role of the cultural sector in supporting economic development within the country.

“Our culture represents the identity of our generations, and reflects the depth of our history. It is our message that we want to convey to the world in the most creative way. Our Emirati culture promotes the spirit of love, tolerance, and calls for openness to other cultures. The spirit and identity of our culture is inspired from Arab and Islamic civilisations,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

Highlighting the importance of the Arabic language, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Arabic language is the backbone of our culture. Preserving our language is a pivotal prerequisite to develop our knowledge, instil our identity and develop our culture.

“The UAE’s drive towards leadership of the future, and its pursuit to be among the most advanced countries in the world won’t be realised unless we enhance our cultural heritage. The future of our cultural development should be based on creativity and innovation.

“Economy, culture and politics are components that interact to create a nation, and build a state … The development of our country depends on a well-established and forward-looking culture,” Sheikh Mohammed added.

Future of culture retreat

Sheikh Mohammed made these comments as he attended the ‘Future of Culture Retreat’ organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development at the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Monday.

The retreat brought together a number of cabinet ministers and senior government officials, in addition to some of the most prominent politicians, diplomats, cultural leaders, business leaders and media figures.

The one-day retreat featured nine sessions. Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, said: “Today, we take pride in the UAE and its achievements, proving to the world that Emirati citizens are not only capable of keeping pace with global development in various fields and sectors but are at the forefront of such developments. Today’s retreat proved that the cultural sector falls in the heart of this development, enabling our dear nation to earn its international position and competitiveness.”

The retreat was attended by Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Suggestions of the cultural retreat

> The National Talents session recommended proposing work agendas for Creativity Leave, National Orchestra and Ministry’s Youth Council

> The Creativity and Innovation in Culture session recommended the development of a hub for cultural and creative activities

> The Funding and Cultural Longevity session suggested the implementation of work plans to support cultural work and creative industries

> The Science and Technology session suggested undertaking a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development and the Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence to promoting community awareness and addressing the role of the latest technology in the development of country.

> The Arabic Language session focused on initiatives to support Arabic digital content and promoting its position among the swift contemporary scientific progress.

> The National Identity, Values and Community Cohesion session recommended the development of a plan to promote the culture of the UAE within UAE society through joint initiatives

> The Infrastructure of UAE Culture session proposed a number of recommendations including the development of an Emirati culture project map and cultural open data.

> The Cultural Diplomacy session recommended initiatives to develop cultural diplomacy, such as cooperating with Unesco and promoting the role of cultural attaché to strengthen ties with other countries.The Future of Arts session proposed a number of initiatives and projects to ensure the development of UAE art including developing an Art Works index.