Dubai Culture’s ‘Live our Heritage Festival’ Workshop Educates People on Veil Making (Burqa) Handicraft

Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, is celebrating the eight edition of its ‘Live our Heritage Festival’ and welcomes the public to join the second week of live traditional craft experiences, as well as heritage workshops, national folk songs, friendly gatherings and entertainment events inspired by Emirati heritage.

The workshops on ‘Veil Making’ handicraft started on 9th March and will run until the 15th of the same month. In the UAE, veil making expresses the values of modesty in women’s fashion in the UAE in the past. The veils are made from a special cloth called ‘Shil’, which is characterised by its blue colour and has a simple glamour. The ‘Burqa’ is a crucial part of the ancient heritage associated with the dress adorned by Gulf women, providing a means of modesty and referring to marriage. During the workshops, the craftsmen are teaching people about the concept, history and different types of veil making. 

Visitors can also enjoy traditional folk dances including Al Andema, Al Ayyla and Liwa. Another highlight comes from the Nad Al Hamar Centre, one of Dubai’s Heritage Development Centres, which is hosting painting workshops inspired form the UAE’s heritage and workshops on creating crafts using old tires, as well as a ‘Year of Zayed 2018’ session.

The ‘Live Our Heritage Festival’ is held in cooperation with the Global Village, the Dubai Association of Folk Art, and Dubai Culture’s Dubai Heritage Development Centres. The festival began on 1st March and will run until 7th April 2018 at the Global Village, focusing on educating the public about traditional UAE handicrafts and heritage. 

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.