Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) successfully concluded its participation in the 31st Arabian Travel Market (ATM), held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 6 to 9 May. This prominent exhibition serves as an essential platform for showing Dubai’s renowned landmarks and tourist attractions. The event facilitated valuable exchanges of knowledge and featured innovations in aviation, accommodation, hospitality, and tourism. Through its participation in ATM, the Authority aimed to stimulate cultural tourism in Dubai and cement its position as a preferred global destination for living, working, and entertainment.
During its participation at the Dubai Government Pavilion, Dubai Culture showcased an array of its finest cultural assets including Al Shindagha Museum, the UAE’s largest heritage museum, that narrates Dubai’s unique story, its origins, and the traditional lifestyle that was prevalent from the mid-19th century to the 1970s. Spread across 22 pavilions across over 80 houses designed to global standards, the museum presents a diverse array of artefacts, films, and old photographs, with contributions from over 100 local community members, rendering it a unique cultural heritage experience.
The Authority also introduced visitors to its stand the Etihad Museum, which documents the establishment of the nation and celebrates the legacy of the founding fathers’ commitment and national spirit. The site takes visitors on a unique journey to explore the chronology of events leading up to the declaration of the UAE in 1971. Through interactive exhibitions and educational programmes, it tells the story from the point of view of the state’s leaders and enriches the knowledge of the country’s constitution, especially the rights and privileges it grants to citizens and their entailing responsibilities. Etihad Museum is distinguished by seven columns symbolizing the number of pens used to sign the union document and contains a library, educational centre and a temporary exhibition hall.
The Authority organised an exhibition within the VIP Majlis at ATM, featuring five art pieces titled ‘Twin Peaks’, ‘Mountainside Farming’, ‘Colossal’, ‘Environmental Brutalism’, and ‘Against All Odds’ by Emirati artist Ammar Al Banna, which expresses his unique perspective on the environment, nature and local heritage. Through this exhibition, Dubai Culture aimed to empower local talent, showcase their achievements and strengthen Dubai’s cultural and creative industries, encouraging cultural tourism in the region.