Latest news with #SheikhaLatifabint
What's On
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Sheikh Hamdan approves Dubai Orchestra project
The megaprojects just don't seem to end for Dubai, but not all projects have to be something made out of concrete or stone. This time, it is taking on a more creative aspect, and while Dubai (and the UAE in general) is already a hot spot for some of the world's top musicals, concerts, and more, this new initiative is about to boost it to a whole new level. Say hello to the Dubai Orchestra project. The announcement of this new project was made by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, via her official Instagram account. The post made on June 18, 2025, stated, 'Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the Executive Council has approved the Dubai Orchestra project.' Sheikha Latifa mentioned that the project is one that is led by Dubai Culture in partnership with Dubai's public and private sectors and will showcase 'Dubai's presence on the global arts stage and nurture new generations capable of carrying forward the message of cultural and human creativity.' In the post, Sheikha Latifa also shares the Dubai Orchestra project's main objectives and initiatives. Objectives To nurture a vibrant creative environment that advances the music sector Attract exceptional talent Inspire and empower homegrown creatives Support objectives of Dubai's Creative Economy Strategy, and Dubai Social Agenda 33 Stimulate the arts sector and drive its growth Initiatives Youth-focused programmes Strategic partnerships with community organisations Educational opportunities for emerging talent Preserve and promote the region's living musical heritage on a global stage The report also added that '50% of the Dubai Orchestra members will be Emirati talent by 2033.' We can't wait to see the fruit of this amazing initiative, and we are sure we will learn more in the next coming months. Stay tuned! Images: Getty Images > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
What's On
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Deira Clock Tower ranked as one of the most beautiful in the world
The announcement was made by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority… If you've seen photos of Dubai from decades ago, a black and white photo of Deira Clock Tower would have been one of the most iconic pictures you would have come across. The Deira Clock Tower was built in 1963 and was the first land passage between Deira and Bur Dubai. It is located at the intersection of Umm Hurair Street and Al Maktoum Street – one of the most important crossroads in Dubai. It also served as the initial point of junction for the main highways heading to Dubai. And now… it has just been ranked as one of the most beautiful clock towers in the world… 3 of 12 Deira Clock Tower in 1968 Deira Clock Tower in 1974 Deira Clock Tower in 1986 Deira Clock Tower in 2020 Deira Clock Tower after its glow-up in 2023 Deira Clock Tower after its glow-up in 2023 Deira Clock Tower after its glow-up in 2023 The news was shared by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, on her official X (previously, Twitter) account. 'دوار الساعة' في منطقة ديرة، كان أول معلم بارز يراه زوّار دبي في أوائل الستينيات، كما كان أول معبر بري بين ديرة وبر دبي.⁰لطالما ارتبط دوار الساعة بذاكرتنا الجماعية، وطفولتنا، وذاكرة أهالي الإمارة وزوّارها. حيث لعب دوراً محورياً في مسيرة دبي التنموية.. ومع مرور الوقت، أصبح هذا… — Latifa MR Al Maktoum (@hhshklatifa) May 15, 2025 In her post, Sheikha Latifa said, 'The Deira Clock Tower stood as Dubai's first iconic landmark in the early 1960s and marked the city's first land connection between Deira and Bur Dubai. Since then, it has played a vital role in the city's transformation—earning a lasting place in the hearts of residents and visitors, and becoming a defining symbol of Dubai's cultural and urban identity.' The glow-up it deserved In May 2023, Dubai Municipality announced that the iconic roundabout would undergo a renovation. The glow-up was complete on August 31. According to Dubai Municipality, the project reflects its 'commitment to utilize its full potential to support sustainable urban development that meets Dubai's futuristic urban and economic development goals and plans.' The water fountain's design was revamped and now includes multicoloured lighting. The aesthetics of the roundabout were also revamped with the introduction of hard floors with greenery. A very notable change is the clock face managed by Omega. The time has been managed by the Swiss Luxury Watch manufacturer ever since 2010 and now… its classic red logo is larger and more visible than before. *Throwback: This is what 6 of your favourite Dubai spots used to look like* Why the change? Well, the improvement project is part of Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai last year in December 2022. According to Phase II of the master plan, areas including Dubai Silicon Oasis, Deira, and Bur Dubai, all the way across Sheikh Zayed Road to Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, and Expo City will be modernised in order to make Dubai the world's best city for living. The detailed strategy, a key part of which is sustainability, will boost the quality of life and happiness of people in addition to reinforcing the Emirate's global competitiveness. Want to see how much Dubai has changed over the past few years, here are some before and after snaps of the city you need to see. Images: Getty and WAM > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Hi Dubai
30-04-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
DIHAD Opens in Dubai to Drive Global Humanitarian Collaboration
DIHAD 2025 opened its doors at the Dubai World Trade Centre, uniting global humanitarian leaders, aid organisations, and policymakers for three days of high-level dialogue and collaboration under the theme 'Humanitarian Aid and Development in a Polarised World'. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the event was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture. She was joined by ambassadors, international delegates, and senior officials during a tour of the exhibition. Now in its 21st edition, DIHAD brings together over 18,000 participants from 160 countries, including representatives from UN agencies, charities, and private sector providers. The conference features 131 speakers across 64 sessions and nearly 200 workshops. Dr. Abdulsalam AlMadani, Chairman of DIHAD, described the event as a global platform for sustainable solutions, stressing the urgency of unity and innovation in today's fragmented world. Switzerland was announced as this year's Guest of Honour. Ambassador Patricia Danzi, Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, praised DIHAD's role in fostering cooperation and reaffirmed Switzerland's humanitarian commitment. The conference also saw the launch of the DIHAD 2044 agenda, a long-term strategy built around sustainability, empowerment, partnership, education, and innovation. With over 3,000 active partnerships, organisers aim to strengthen global impact and local engagement in the years ahead. Kate Forbes, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, received the DIHAD International Personality Award for Humanitarian Relief 2025 in recognition of her outstanding global contributions. Roundtable sessions on Day One highlighted key issues including youth volunteerism and international cooperation in crisis response, reinforcing the UAE's growing role as a global humanitarian leader. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Emirates 24/7
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Emirates 24/7
‘Bait Al Khazaf' Celebrates Pottery and Artistic Talent at 13th Sikka Art & Design Festival
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is hosting a diverse lineup of creative activities for visitors to the 13th Sikka Art & Design Festival, held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture, at Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood. Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children presents 'Bait Al Khazaf,' a dedicated space celebrating the art of pottery while providing hands-on workshops in ceramics, performing arts, painting, and design. Designed to inspire children's creativity, these sessions align with the Authority's commitment to nurturing emerging talent, investing in future generations, and encouraging skill development. As part of the festival—an initiative under the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy—the Centre is offering a variety of art workshops, including pottery-making, where children learn to shape clay on a wheel and paint ceramics. Other sessions explore decorating candles, bags, and boxes with different materials. Theatre experts will also be present to guide young participants in acting and stage performance, teaching them the fundamentals of shadow theatre and costume design. The calendar of events includes music programmes led by the Centre for Musical Arts and a collaborative mural in which families can take part. 'Bait Al Khazaf,' curated by artist Kamal Al Zoubi, Head of the Pottery Department at Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, also features works by 55 Emirati and UAE-based ceramicists. Highlights include 'Communication and Connection' by Emirati artist Shamsa Juma, representing her journey in search of perfection. Emirati artist Abdulla Al Hammadi presents 'Ibahar' (Sailing), inspired by pearl diving voyages, and 'Shira'a' (Sail), which blends the form of a sail with that of a fish. The collection also includes 'Untitled' by Egyptian artist Abeer Essa Adam, examining the interplay between mass and space. Pakistani artist Adeel Umar showcases 'Calligraphy Mural' and Australian artist Alex Rawson's 'Cultural Diffusion' reflects on the exchange of ideas, traditions, and beliefs among societies. Emirati artist Amal Thani displays her collection 'Pink,' and Sudanese artist Amani Badur unveils 'Oryx the Survivor,' symbolising strength and overcoming life's challenges. Lebanese artist Cybelle Moutran contributes 'Fragments of Time,' while 'Silent Waves' by Dina Alhallaq invites contemplation of nature's quiet beauty and strength. 'Bait Al Khazaf' also includes the 'People of Determination Exhibition,' which celebrates the artistic creations of a group of inspiring individuals whose works narrate unique stories and serve as a testament to their resilience. Dubai Public Library, through its 'School of Life' initiative, offers festivalgoers specialised workshops in literature and visual arts. These include 'Ordering Food at a Restaurant,' which introduced essential phrases commonly used in local restaurants and cafés. Meanwhile, calligraphy artist Mohammed Al Tamimi led a 'Ruq'ah Calligraphy' workshop, and Dr Saeed Abdullah Al Wail conducted 'Doors and Wooden Carvings,' where individuals explored traditional wooden door carving and how this reflects Emirati heritage. Ola Allouz guided visitors in 'Sikka Art & Design Festival: The Best Moments,' focusing on the art of photography and turning everyday moments into artistic shots. 'Sikka Folktales' by artist Magdy ElKafrawy brought storytelling to life on a canvas inspired by UAE's cultural heritage. 'World Stage Design House' (House 203) by the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy hosted a series of specialised theatre workshops aimed at enhancing children's performing arts skills. These include Jacqui George's 'Puppet Workshop,' where young visitors learned to create shadow puppets made using recycled materials creatively. Youmna (Eve) Aboelella conducted the 'Lighting Workshop,' teaching aspiring creatives how to use light and colours in theatrical storytelling, while Salma Lakharouti trained them in costume design using recycled materials. 'Masterpieces House – House of Folklore Tales' (House 355) displays the projects of students who participated in a summer camp organised by the Ministry of Education in July 2024. Their art is inspired by 'Kharareef' (local folktales), blending mythical elements with contemporary expression through visual arts, music, creative writing, cinema, and photography. These exhibits reflect the essence of local cultural heritage and reimagine traditional folktales. The festival is organised in partnership with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, and the Emirates Council for Rural Development. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Gulf Today
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Arts, crafts, talks, workshops, music ruled at Sikka Art & Design Festival
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) hosted a diverse lineup of creative activities for visitors to the 13th Sikka Art & Design Festival (Jan. 31 – Feb. 9). It was held under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture, at Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood. During the fest, Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children presented 'Bait Al Khazaf', which celebrated the art of pottery, also providing workshops in ceramics, performing arts, painting, and design. At the pottery-making workshop, children learnt to shape clay on a wheel and paint ceramics. Other sessions explored decorating candles, bags, and boxes with different materials. Theatre experts guided young participants in acting and stage performance, teaching the fundamentals of shadow theatre and costume design. The calendar included music programmes led by the Centre for Musical Arts and a collaborative mural, in which families could take part. 'Bait Al Khazaf' was curated by artist Kamal Al Zoubi, Head of Pottery Department at Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children; the event also featured works by 55 Emirati and UAE-based ceramicists. Highlights included 'Communication and Connection' by Emirati artist Shamsa Juma, representing her journey in search of perfection. Emirati artist Abdulla Al Hammadi presented 'Ibahar' (Sailing), inspired by pearl diving voyages, and 'Shira'a' (Sail), which blended the form of a sail and that of a fish. The collection also included 'Untitled' by Egyptian artist Abeer Essa Adam, which examined the interplay between mass and space. Pakistani artist Adeel Umar showcased 'Calligraphy Mural' and Australian artist Alex Rawson's 'Cultural Diffusion' reflected on the exchange of ideas, traditions and beliefs among societies. Emirati artist Amal Thani displayed her collection 'Pink', and Sudanese artist Amani Badur unveiled 'Oryx the Survivor', symbolising strength and overcoming life's challenges. Lebanese artist Cybelle Moutran contributed 'Fragments of Time', while 'Silent Waves' by Dina Alhallaq invited contemplation of nature's quiet beauty and strength. 'Bait Al Khazaf' also included the 'People of Determination Exhibition' which celebrated the artistic creations of a group of inspiring individuals whose works narrated unique stories, serving as a testament to their endurance. Dubai Public Library, through its 'School of Life' initiative, offered festival goers specialised workshops in literature and visual arts. It included 'Ordering Food at a Restaurant', which introduced essential phrases commonly used in local restaurants and cafés. Meanwhile, calligraphy artist Mohammed Al Tamimi led a 'Ruq'ah Calligraphy' workshop and Dr. Saeed Abdullah Al Wael conducted 'Doors and Wooden Carvings', where individuals explored traditional wooden door carving and how this reflected Emirati heritage. Ola Allouz guided visitors in 'Sikka Art & Design Festival: The Best Moments', focusing on photography and turning everyday moments into artistic shots. 'Sikka Folktales' by artist Magdy ElKafrawy brought storytelling to life on a canvas inspired by the UAE's cultural heritage. 'World Stage Design House' (House 203) by the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy hosted a series of specialised theatre workshops aimed at enhancing children's performing arts skills. It included Jacqui George's 'Puppet Workshop', where young visitors learned to create shadow puppets made using recycled materials creatively. Youmna (Eve) Aboelella conducted the 'Lighting Workshop', teaching aspiring creatives how to use light and colours in theatrical storytelling, while Salma Lakharouti trained them in costume design, using recycled materials. 'Masterpieces House – House of Folklore Tales' (House 355) displayed the projects of students who participated in a summer camp organised by the Ministry of Education in July 2024. Their art was inspired by 'Kharareef' (local folktales), blending mythical elements with contemporary expression through visual arts, music, creative writing, cinema, and photography. The festival featured over 450 workshops and talks covering arts, design, architecture, visual storytelling and traditional crafts. 'Emerging City' hosted the 'Gypsum Art' workshop, which explored gypsum carving techniques, while the 'Traditional Jewellery House' offered the 'Jewellery Making: Marriyah (Necklace)' workshop, providing hands-on experience in crafting traditional ornaments. At the 'People and Faith House', visitors engaged in the 'Henna Stencil' and 'Prayer Bead Crafting' classes, while the 'Traditional Crafts House' presented 'Spindle', showcasing hand-weaving with traditional tools. Creativity took centre stage at House 355 – Masterpieces, where the 'Graffiti Art: Express Yourself with Spray Paint' workshop taught graffiti fundamentals under a professional artist's guidance. 'House 341 – Reality House' offered 'Doodles & AI', allowing participants to transform simple doodles into pieces of art, using generative artificial intelligence. The 'Glitch Art' session allowed participants to explore techniques inspired by digital distortions, unlocking new creative dimensions in digital art. Experts from 'Sxill Lab' led workshops at House 314, including 'Handmade Tile Making' and 'Cheese Board Design'. Meanwhile, the Sikka Platform at House 326 offered a range of sustainability and innovation-themed classes, notably 'Sustainability Now: Eco-Friendly Solutions' and 'Perfume Making for Adults'. House 15 hosted modern printing sessions with Tashkeel, teaching visitors 'Hand Printing on Bags' and 'Riso Printing'. At House 196 – Urban House by The Workshop DXB, singer Shilpa Ananth presented 'Unlocking Authenticity: The Psychology of Songwriting', exploring the emotional and experiential influences on songwriting, and helping participants refine their music composition skills. The festival also featured a series of talks at the talent development houses and at the 'Sikka Speaks' corner, featuring some of the most prominent creatives in the sector discussing global trends. Khalil Abdulwahid and Karim Jabbari led 'Artistic Intervention in Satwa: Tracing Urban Nostalgia', while Sophie Mayuko moderated 'Go Global! International Opportunities & Strategies for Dubai-based Artists (Where to Start)', featuring Sanaz Askari, Giuseppe Moscatello, and Behrang Samadzadkan.
