Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan Inaugurates Al Burda Festival

Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, launched the inaugural edition of Al Burda Festival today at Warehouse 421 in Abu Dhabi. Organized by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development (MCKD), the event aims to celebrate Islamic art and culture, educate the young generation about Islamic traditions, and raise public awareness about the beauty of Islamic art.

Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan toured the festival art gallery that showcased the winning works of the 15th edition of Al Burda Award. Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, UAE Minister of State, Her Excellency Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director General of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiques, and His Excellency Mohammed Al Murr, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, accompanied him on the tour.

In her keynote speech, Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi highlighted the importance of engaging young people in shaping the future of Islamic arts while helping them develop a deeper connection with their cultural identity.

She said: “The festival seeks to showcase the greatness of the Islamic civilization through its art that represents an invaluable part of human heritage. Islamic art reflects the hopes, the ambitions, the potential and the philosophy of nations, and we want the world to see our own youth’s ambitions, potential and hopes of creating a better future through arts.” 

Emphasizing the vital role of new technologies in redefining the aesthetics of Islamic art,Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabiannounced the results of the first AI research study in the Arab region, Al Burda Swarm AI – a pioneering methodology that predicts the most significant future trends in Islamic art and culture. Conducted with the participation of 30 experts, the research addressed a variety of relevant topics. The findings will guide MCKD in implementing laws that empower and encourage the artistic community – in collaboration with leading stakeholders of the arts and culture sector – to develop initiatives that stimulate innovation and creativity and contribute to the wider global dialogue on Islamic arts.

Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi said: “The research yielded results that will shape the future of Islamic arts. Among its key takeaways was the insight that investment in art programs plays a key role in developing artistic and creative skills among the youth. The study also predicted the growth of Islamic performance and visual arts over the next five years. Furthermore, it stressed the significance of legislation in supporting the regional art scene, providing creatives with the right training, and helping build partnerships between the government, artists and academia to kindle an interest in Islamic arts among the community.”

To act on the results of the study, the Ministry will implement initiatives and sustainable programs that nurture young artistic talent and develop Islamic arts, including design, ornamentation and calligraphy. 

Announcing the launch of Al Burda Festival Endowment, an initiative that aspires to expand the reach of Islamic art and culture through supporting creative pioneers who embrace experimentation, Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi said: “The endowment recipients will be tasked with producing artworks and exhibiting them in select locations across the country with the aim of promoting arts and culture, and creating a true artistic movement that introduces the public to diverse types of Islamic arts. Al Burda Festival Endowment also seeks to facilitate artists exchange programs with other countries to attract international creative talent.”

She added: “We look forward to seeing creative artworks that are inspired by Islamic heritage. Such works help develop and enrich various genres of Islamic art, pave the way towards reviving its wonders, and bring it back to our streets and museums so that it becomes an integral part of our lives once again.” 

Moderated by Mina Al-Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National, the opening plenary session of Al Burda Festival discussed the future of Islamic arts as well as the importance of productive partnerships between the public and private sector in this domain. Among the panelists were Her Excellency Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Her Excellency Dr Ines Abdel Dayem, Minister of Culture of Egypt, and His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh.

Her Excellency Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa said that Islamic art has an inextricable connection with the people of our region and pervades all aspects of their lives – from the buildings they live in to the spaces around them. She stressed the responsibility of ministries of culture in preserving the cultural heritage of the Islamic civilization. In this context, she pointed out that Bahrain has put forward a proposal to UNESCO to dedicate one day in the year to Islamic arts to introduce leading Islamic artists to the world and bring them the recognition they deserve.

Her Excellency Dr Ines Abdel Dayem praised MCKD’s efforts that reflect the UAE’s awareness of the importance of Islamic cultural heritage, and noted that the country has become a prime destination for arts. She added that Egypt’s participation in the pioneering event testifies to its strong ties with the UAE and the unity between the two countries.

She said: “We have spoken a lot about the past, and it is time now to talk to our youth about the future. This festival represents a vital breakthrough in the Arab world that aims to establish links between generations and raise awareness about the diverse genres of Islamic arts that reflect the past and foresee the future.”

His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh emphasized that many artists in the MENA region are currently going back to their roots and drawing inspiration from traditional Arabic and Islamic culture. A good example is Abu Dhabi Art, an art fair that takes place every November in the UAE capital, showcasing artworks of different genres that draw on Islamic heritage and civilization.

He added: “Al Burda Festival provides an ideal platform for Islamic artists and authors to connect and draw inspiration from their culture and civilization to create novel artworks. It also plays a key role in motivating the private sector to invest in Islamic arts.”

The one-day festival brought together industry experts from across the globe to share experiences and insights related to promoting the positive image of Islamic culture. The schedule comprised plenary sessions on topics such as ‘Cultural Organizations in the Digital-era Museums’ and‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Women’s Art?’. Speakers included prominent personalities from the UAE art scene – Vilma Jukurte, Director of Alserkal Avenue, and Lisa Ball-Lechgar, Deputy Director of Tashkeel – as well as Dr Henry Kim, Director and CEO of the Aga Khan Museum from Canada, and US filmmaker Gabo Arora.

The agenda also featured several workshops, such as ‘Developing Skills for Islamic Art in the 21stCentury’ and ‘Innovative Technologies Generating the Built Environment of Tomorrow’, and masterclasses, including ‘Islamic Calligraphy and Typography’ and ‘Geometry and the Origins of Islamic Design’.