Dubai Culture’s ‘Live our Heritage Festival’ opens its doors, shedding light on UAE heritage

Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, opened the ‘Live our Heritage Festival’ to the public at City Centre Mirdif today.

The festival is running under the theme ‘UAE Folk Arts’ and  will continue until 18^th April 2017, serving to support the UAE’s growing heritage scene and reaching out to the community through heritage workshops and cultural activities.

The ‘Live our Heritage Festival’ invites visitors to take part in various traditional programmes while also learning about the nation’s development through the ages. Its programme includes an open stage for competitions and sessions, a permanent exhibition of folk art instruments, and a section showcasing local crafts. Each day of the festival focuses on a specific theme such as ‘Al Andima’ maritime folk, ‘Al Ayala’ and ‘Al Liwa’ folk dance, providing folk artists with a variety of opportunities to showcase their talent. Dedicated sessions hosted with folk dance specialists will also offer visitors a deeper insight into the culture and beauty of this art form.

Fatima Lootah, Manager of Dubai Heritage Development Centres and Head of the Live our Heritage Festival Committee, commented: “The festival continues Dubai Culture’s commitment to supporting craftsmen and folk dance artists, supports the development and enhancement of the culture, arts and heritage sector in Dubai, and preserves Emirati heritage by promoting it to the next generations. This year, the festival will conclude its activities on World Heritage Day on 18^th April, with the support of multiple government entities including folk dance associations, heritage development centres managed by Dubai Culture, and Al Futtaim group.”

The festival will also feature a reading corner including a collection of books for both adults and children, and will host activities for children to promote reading, creativity and sharing knowledge.

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.