The seventh annual Abu Dhabi Culture Summit will take place from 27 to 29 April, bringing designers, artists and culture leaders from around the world to the United Arab Emirates.
The 2025 edition of the summit, supported by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, will explore “Culture for Humanity and Beyond” as its central theme, questioning what the cultural landscape of the future could look like.
The event will aim to uncover “new perspectives as we navigate global technological transitions and build a sustainable future together”, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak said in a statement.
“From heritage to creativity, culture is an expression of humanity that connects us through time. This year’s theme challenges us to examine how technology has transformed this age-old relationship”, said Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO, which partners the summit.
Other global partners include the Design Museum, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, and the Recording Academy.
The three-day event will feature conversations with artists including four-time Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood and digital and mixed-media artist Refik Anadol, known for incorporating data and AI in his work.
Experts will also gather for panels on issues like the role of AI in creative industries, culture as an instrument of global governance, and the preservation and rehabilitation of cultural heritage.
The annual Culture Summit is part of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates’ increasing efforts to become leaders in the global cultural conversation.
In 2024, the Abu Dhabi Art Fair organised its largest-ever edition, welcoming 104 galleries, up from 92 in 2023.
Abu Dhabi has also been investing in its Saadiyat Cultural District, with the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum in 2017 and the long-delayed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project.
“We believe that culture is the building block of any forward-thinking society. We believe it is principle for our youth”, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak told Euronews.
