‘Dubai Culture’ Extends 8th Edition of ‘Live our Heritage Festival’

Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, has announced that it is extending the eighth edition of its ‘Live our Heritage Festival’, which was held at Global Village under ‘An Eye on Emirati Cultural Heritage’ theme and will continue from 15th to 21st April in Hatta Heritage Village. The extended event will coincide with ‘World Heritage Day’ on 18th April. 

Visitors to Hatta Heritage Village can enjoy further activities for the whole week, including stage performances; Arabic food, beverages and coffee; the chance to participate in heritage competitions; a photo exhibition of the late Sheikh Rashed bin Saeed; and an exhibition of traditional objects. Traditional food will be served and Arabic calligraphy and other beautiful crafts will also be up for grabs. The festival welcomes visitors from 4.30 to 9pm every day.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General of Dubai Culture, commented: “Our decision to extend the festival followed its six successful weeks in Global Village, which attracted more than 120,000 visitors and also saw over 800 people taking part in the workshops. The festival has proven the importance of a comprehensive social initiative that preserves Emirate heritage, focusing on Emirati traditional handicrafts and folklore. Giving the public a chance to learn about them and comes in line with ‘Year of Zayed’ initiative which celebrates the values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who taught us the importance of celebrating our culture and traditions, and passing them down to younger generations.”

Al Nabouda added: “Hosting the event at Hatta Heritage Village supports Dubai Culture’s vision of establishing Dubai as a global, creative and sustainable city for culture, heritage, arts and literature, in addition to furthering the Hatta Development Plan by enriching the cultural, heritage and artistic landscape of the city, and promoting its cultural diversity and social cohesion.”

Fatima Lootah, Head of the Live our Heritage Committee at Dubai Culture, commented: “We are pleased to extend the ‘Live our Heritage Festival’ and take it to Hatta Heritage Village in line with ‘World Heritage Day’. This is a direct translation of Dubai Culture’s mandate to raise awareness of the tangible and intangible heritage assets of the United Arab Emirates by highlighting their rich value to all segments of Dubai’s community under a UAE handicraft theme.”

Khalid Ali Gharib, Manager of Hatta Heritage Village at Dubai Culture, commented: “Hatta is an ideal destination for cultural tourists because it is rich in archaeological and historical sites and museums, and allows visitors to learn about traditional industries while also indulging in various forms of artistic expression at cultural events throughout the year. Hosting the festival in Hatta Heritage Village is the perfect opportunity to reach a wider audience of visitors and tourists, which will strengthen Hatta’s position on our local touristic map.” 

The ‘Live our Heritage Festival’ programme included educational workshops focusing on traditional UAE crafts such as palm frond braiding, veil making, thread weaving, perfume making, silver crafting and coffee making. Craftsmen explained each craft, the concept behind it, and its history and presence in the Gulf, while also presenting manufacturing methods to raise the public’s awareness of the raw materials and tools used.

Dubai Culture aims to enhance Dubai’s cultural scene and draw attention to the Emirate’s rich heritage with a variety of initiatives that take place throughout the year. The Authority’s mandate is to build bridges of constructive dialogue between different civilisations and cultures through enriching initiatives that benefit the Emirate’s citizens, residents and visitors.