Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi reveals Abu Dhabi to host Pritzker Architecture Prize ceremony in Middle East for first time
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD) The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that Abu Dhabi will host the 2025 Pritzker Prize ceremony, marking a historic first for the UAE and the Middle East. As the world's most esteemed recognition in the field of architecture, the Pritzker Architecture Prize honours living architects whose work demonstrates a combination of talent, vision, and commitment. Their contributions must show consistent and significant impact on humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.Abu Dhabi's selection as the host city further strengthens its role as a leading destination for the world's foremost creative thinkers, and reflects the emirate's growing contribution to global architectural discourse, with a legacy of bold vision and cultural investment that bridges heritage, innovation, and sustainability.Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, said, "We are deeply honoured that Abu Dhabi has been chosen as the host city for the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize, reflecting the recognition Abu Dhabi has received globally as a cultural centre. By hosting this event, DCT Abu Dhabi is honoured to offer a platform for the exchange of ideas that will shape the cities of tomorrow. This reaffirms Abu Dhabi's long-term vision to place creativity, dialogue, and sustainability at the heart of our development, and our belief in the transformative power of architecture to shape communities and enrich lives.'From the development and restoration of the Cultural Foundation to modern icons like Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Jean Nouvel (Pritzker Prize Laureate, 2008), the soon-to-open Zayed National Museum by Lord Norman Foster (Pritzker Prize Laureate, 1999), and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi by Frank Gehry (Pritzker Prize Laureate, 1989), the emirate has emerged as a global centre for transformative and meaningful architecture.These landmark projects are in line with DCT Abu Dhabi's ongoing commitment to preserving, promoting, and protecting the emirate's rich cultural heritage while also championing innovation and creativity as drivers of sustainable development and global dialogue.The event will coincide with a public panel discussion taking place at the Cultural Foundation on May 3, led by Liu Jiakun, the 2025 Pritzker Prize Laureate.He will be joined by fellow Laureates Riken Yamamoto (2024), David Chipperfield (2023), and Francis Kéré (2022).
Together, these leading voices will explore the role of architecture in celebrating cultural expression reflected in their own practices and the future of the built environment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
7 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Liwa Date Festival 2025: Innovator turns date pits into high-performance charcoal
25 July 2025 00:39 AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (LIWA CITY)An innovator in the UAE has found a novel way to recycle date pits: She is turning them into charcoal. At the ongoing Liwa Date Festival, Huda Saif Kenish Alhameli has caught the attention of experts and visitors with her high-quality, all-natural charcoal. 'The idea came up in response to a competition announced by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority for the Liwa Date Festival 2025,' Alhameli told Aletihad . 'The public response has been incredibly encouraging and I'm excited to continue developing it further,' she charcoal stands out for its eco-friendly composition and high performance. Since it's made exclusively from natural date pits, it contains no chemicals or allergens. It ignites quickly, burns for an extended period and offers a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to traditional product has been tested and certified by METS Laboratories, ensuring that it's safe and ready for commercial use, she sees a bright future for this project, 'especially with the support of our wise leadership and institutions dedicated to sustainability'.The initiative, she added, is not only about innovation but preserving the palm tree as a cultural symbol. 'The palm tree is part of our identity and recycling its byproducts rather than discarding them contributes to sustainability and environmental stewardship,' Alhameli the nation observes the Year of Community, she emphasised the importance of collective responsibility in preserving the date palm and supporting initiatives that uphold the UAE's environmental and cultural values. Running until July 27 in Al Dhafra Region, the Liwa Date Festival continues to grow as a hub for culture, innovation and community engagement, showcasing how tradition and creativity can work hand in hand for a sustainable future.
Al Etihad
9 hours ago
- Al Etihad
UAE growth to remain strong at over 4%, says IMF
24 July 2025 22:35 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)The UAE's economic growth is expected to remain healthy at over 4% in 2025, despite geopolitical tensions in the region, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 'We're seeing robust growth in non-hydrocarbon activity, driven by tourism, construction, public spending, and financial services,' IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack told Aletihad during an online press briefing. She added that oil production in the UAE is increasing faster than anticipated, following the reversal of earlier output cuts. 'The UAE economy has shown resilience in the face of lower oil prices and increased price volatility this year,' Kozack to the broader region, she said GCC growth is estimated to have rebounded to 1.4% in 2024, despite reduced oil output. 'Our projection in the April World Economic Outlook was that GCC growth would rise further to 3.3% in 2025.'She added that non-hydrocarbon growth across the GCC is also expected to remain strong, supported by rapid investment, construction, and ongoing reforms aimed at diversifying regional economies. She affirmed that inflation in the GCC region remained under control. Kozack advised the GCC governments to maintain fiscal prudence while continuing with structural reforms to support long-term economic diversification.
Al Etihad
16 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority issues scientific and practical guide on date varieties in the emirate
24 July 2025 15:14 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)In conjunction with the launch of the 21st Liwa Date Festival 2025, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), has released the Abu Dhabi Date Varieties Guide, a comprehensive reference for the most prominent date varieties in the pavilion at the festival will promote the guide to help farmers, visitors, and stakeholders learn about palm farming and date 61 date varieties classified by their environmental and geographical traits, the guide clarifies varieties suitable for arid regions and others adapted to high-humidity coastal areas. The guide further provides in-depth details on ripening times, production rates, unique traits for each variety, and recommendations to improve quality and guide highlights several prominent date varieties, including Fard, which is widely grown in Abu Dhabi, particularly in Al Ain Region. It is a commercial variety consumed both fully ripe (Rutab), and dry (Tamer). Another variety is Dabbas, a commercially significant variety that thrives in arid environments, such as the Al Dhafra region. The guide also introduces Naghal dates, an early-maturing variety of high economic value, primarily consumed when fully ripe (Rutab).ADAFSA emphasised that releasing this guide aligns with its strategy to promote sustainable agriculture and provide farmers with accurate information for selecting environmentally appropriate varieties. Moreover, the guide will contribute to preserving the diversity of local varieties while enhancing the economic value of the emirate's date palm to ADAFSA, the guide serves as a technical reference for farmers and professionals to improve agricultural productivity and food security through the cultivation of high-quality local cultivars. The authority emphasised that publishing such guides reinforces its efforts to promote Abu Dhabi's position as a leading hub for sustainable agriculture, aligning with Abu Dhabi's vision for comprehensive and sustainable development. The guide is available to the public on ADAFSA's website and will also be distributed to farmers as part of ADAFSA's awareness programmes and initiatives, ensuring its information is accessible to all target groups, with a focus on visitors of the Liwa Date Festival 2025.
