Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and in pursuit of his vision for the future of the cultural sector in Dubai, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chair of the Culture and Arts Authority in Dubai launched "Dubai Culture", The Authority’s strategic roadmap for the next six years, which focuses on enhancing the emirate’s position as a global center of culture, an incubator of creativity and a forum for talent, as well as ensuring a “faster recovery” of the cultural sector in the emirate in the wake of the crisis that affected all vital sectors around the world due to the spread of an epidemic 19.
The launch of the strategic road map comes after the approval of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the new perception of the authority, and in the light of the continuous follow-up and encouragement of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, and his approval of the new strategy that defines the authority The main axes that would enable Dubai Culture to fulfill its organizational role for the cultural and creative sector in the emirate, and enhance its endeavors to support the city's vibrant cultural system and confirm the prosperity of its creative economy.
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed expressed her optimism and confidence in the ability of the authority’s team through its updated strategy to overcome the current exceptional situation with all the challenges it brought the world to intensify its efforts to face, and possessing tools and ideas that will enable it to achieve the aspirations of the future government.
Her Highness said: “We were keen in developing the new roadmap for Dubai Culture to be a help in achieving the goals set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, foremost of which made Dubai a global cultural center, through clear stages, and we took into account all the possibilities that may face us. Due to the exceptional conditions created by the Covid-19 crisis, which affected the world and all its sectors, including industries and cultural activities of all kinds. "
Her Highness added: “Dubai does not recognize the impossible and this principle that we grew up in and raised in the school of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, and I have great optimism in a new phase in which we continue to look to the future, and my confidence is greater that we will be able to work hand in hand with our partners, institutions, companies, intellectuals, artists and creators In all fields of creativity, and with unwavering determination, those who pass this stage and prepare for new achievements, supported by the full activation of the law of establishment stipulating the authority’s role as a policy maker, organizer, enabler, operator and supporter of the culture and creativity sector in Dubai. ”
Her Highness added: “We will continue our efforts to raise the level of well-being and happiness of our cultural community by enhancing the confidence of our creative audience, as well as by setting the necessary safety standards that ensure the protection of creative industries and their prosperous return. Creativity is the most important guarantee in facing all challenges, regardless of size, depth of impact, and Dubai for culture. We are keen to make creativity an integral component of the society’s sentiment, and a major characteristic of it is a supply of intellectual wealth, the fruit of which is the diversity of its cultural tributaries and its unique blending with our ancient Emirati cultural heritage. ”
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa stressed the readiness of "Dubai Culture" to carry out its responsibilities towards the cultural and creative sector in the emirate, based on the foundations of the creative and cultural industries sector that qualify it to play a pivotal role in supporting the national economy, and Her Highness said: "We have a clear vision of the great responsibility that the authority holds As the authority responsible for providing a creative system and an integrated environment to support professionals in the local creative sector, young talents and the general public of the culture, there is no doubt that the creative sector has become an effective economic contributor to the gross domestic product of many countries of the world, and strengthens its global position, and this sector will play a vital role In the rapid recovery from the repercussions of the global epidemic, and it will guarantee a prosperous future for all those involved in it. "
Her Highness indicated that "Dubai Culture" will work this year to link the objectives of the updated strategy with the sectoral performance indicators in the authority, and prepare for the implementation of the strategic road map. She concluded: "During this year, we will apply our updated strategy to the organizational units within the authority, respectively, and we will start work on preparing internal and external infrastructure that will support the implementation of the" Dubai Culture "road map and achieve its goals.
The strategic map was developed in the light of the outputs of several interactive workshops held by Dubai Culture. The authority’s leaders gathered with the most prominent actors in the creative sector and the cultural community in Dubai, and their strategic partners from government agencies and private sector institutions, to review the strategy and lay the foundations and frameworks for its development and modernization. The workshops focused on mechanisms to keep pace with the roadmap for the goals of 2020, the "year of preparation for its fifty", so that it forms a starting point to stimulate the economic growth of the Emirate of Dubai, and enhance its cultural position at the local and international levels. The Authority's strategic performance indicators and targets were also discussed. And a list of programs and initiatives that will contribute to achieving the goals of "Dubai Culture" on the ground during its journey to anticipate and prepare for the future, and make changes that lead to qualitative transformations in the cultural scene of the emirate. In addition, the workshop discussions touched on the strategic role that the Authority will play in enabling the creative sector and creating more jobs and opportunities for its members.
This step is in line with Dubai Culture’s commitment to empowering the cultural and artistic community in Dubai, and it integrates with its efforts to contribute to achieving the vision of good leadership to make Dubai the happiest city in the world, while exploring mechanisms to overcome the consequences of the current exceptional situation, and work to find proactive solutions that help alleviate Some of the pressures these exceptional times have placed on the creative community of citizens and residents alike.
The road map constitutes an extension and added value to the activities and strategic initiatives launched by "Dubai Culture" at the end of 2019, which laid the foundations for the programs and initiatives in 2020, including the launch of the first long-term cultural visa in the world aimed at attracting writers, artists and creators, and consolidating its position Dubai as an incubator for the most important Arab and international talent and creativity, as well as the launch of the seventh edition of the Dubai Art Season, which witnessed within its activities the ninth season of the Sikka Arts Festival.