National Pavilion UAE Invites Curators to Shape 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale Showcase
The open call invites architects, designers, artists, historians, and researchers with ties to the UAE or the broader MENASA region to submit concept proposals that uncover untold stories in the UAE's architectural landscape. Submissions should offer a strong curatorial vision that reflects both local narratives and broader global discourse.
Applicants may be UAE citizens, residents, or international professionals with relevant regional experience. Team entries are welcome, provided at least one member is UAE-based. The initiative encourages critical reflection, creative research, and engagement with past National Pavilion UAE exhibitions.
Angela Migally, Executive Director of the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, described the Biennale as 'a space for rigorous thought' and emphasized the opportunity to anchor global conversations in UAE-specific contexts. Laila Binbrek, Director of the National Pavilion UAE, highlighted the Pavilion's continued role as a platform for culturally significant research and dialogue.
Information sessions will be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with dates to be announced. Applications close at midnight UAE time on 30 September 2025.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
4 hours ago
- Zawya
Sharjah: A global standard for inclusion and a model of social integration and sustainable development
Sharjah: Hosting the World Congress 2025 'We Are Inclusion" in the Emirate of Sharjah is a culmination of a longstanding humanitarian and developmental journey that has solidified its position as a global model for comprehensive social inclusion. This path led to Sharjah being named a "Disability-Friendly City" in 2018 by the World Disability Union, following the emirate's extensive efforts to develop its infrastructure to ensure full and safe accessibility to all public facilities and services. An inclusive educational environment Sharjah's commitment to comprehensive inclusion is seen across several key sectors essential to the health and well-being of individuals in the community. In the field of education, the emirate has played a significant role in inclusive education and pedagogical rehabilitation. Since its establishment, the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) has actively worked to integrate individuals with disabilities into schools and the broader community, while advocating for an accessible built environment that allows for easy and safe mobility. These significant efforts have enabled the integration of many students with disabilities into schools within an educational environment rooted in equality and specialised educational support. Sharjah has also provided early intervention services, family care, and individualised rehabilitation for children. In parallel, economic initiatives like Takween were launched with the goal of producing goods handcrafted by persons with disabilities, serving as a model for the shift from care to empowerment, and showcasing their ability to create independent artistic and craftwork that supports economic inclusion. Furthermore, the University of Sharjah established the Disability Resource Center to provide academic and technical support to students with disabilities, ensuring their full participation on campus from admission through graduation and achieving an inclusive and comprehensive educational experience. On the social and psychological front, several institutions in Sharjah organise seasonal programs that include a range of activities for persons with disabilities, such as art workshops, sports events, and psychological support. These initiatives are part of a broader community strategy aimed at improving quality of life and fostering a sense of inclusion and acceptance. Alignment with national policies At the legislative and legal level, Sharjah's efforts are fully aligned with federal laws and policies notably Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 concerning the rights of persons with disabilities. The emirate has continuously worked to connect health, education, economic, and social sectors to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to inclusion. The significance of these efforts is underlined by data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which reveals that excluding persons with disabilities from the labor market can result in losses ranging from 1% to 7% in the GDP of some countries. This highlights the profound economic and innovative impact of inclusive and integrative policies. Inclusion International's World Congress 2025, 'We are Inclusion', taking place in Sharjah this year, reinforces the significance of inclusive policies in achieving sustainable development. Aligning with the UN 2030 Goal Agenda, particularly Goal 10, which aims to 'reduce inequality' and emphasises that 'social and economic inclusion of all, regardless of age, gender, or disability,' is essential to building sustainable societies. Sharjah: A Global Call for Inclusion and Diversity Through this World Congress, Sharjah is calling out to the global community that building communities cannot be complete without everyone's contribution. Inclusion is not only a humanitarian principle but also a developmental, economic, and cultural policy, and a fundamental human right that must not be compromised.
Khaleej Times
7 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
From renovated schools to lifesaving surgeries: How Abu Dhabi's 'Ahla Al Ataa' drives change
A low-income school transformed after nearly three decades, hundreds of children in the UAE given access to medical care they otherwise could not afford — these are just some of the real-life stories highlighted in Ahl Al Ataa (the People of Giving), a social impact video series by Ma'an, Abu Dhabi's Social Contribution Authority. The second season of the series was launched this week at an event celebrating the reach of its inaugural season — which, according to officials, has already engaged more than one million people across the community. 'The impact of Ma'an has reached over 1 million people since it kicked off around four years ago, as it provides a variety of community support programmes,' said Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development. 'The goal is to find a foundation for social giving to solve existing social problems. Today, we are focusing on a model from the society or from the programmes that we supported in the past.' Dr Al Khaili said the themes of Ahl Al Ataa are directly linked to findings from Abu Dhabi's quality of life surveys, which help authorities identify where support is most needed. 'For example, the first cycle of the quality-of-life surveys five years ago, showed the satisfaction of people of determination to be 30 per cent less than the other participants. So, we focused on this group,' he said. "And a special strategy was formed for them and launched by the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan himself. Ma'an took this strategy and started to focus on some aspects. So, Ma'an's first social incubator was allocated for people of determination.' Other community issues revealed through the surveys and then targeted by Ma'an include initiatives for senior citizens, fertility and Medeem — a model wedding programme. Among the organisations featured in the series was the Pakistani Community Welfare School, a non-profit campus that had operated without any major upgrades since it opened in 1992. 'Our building was very old and it was not a safe environment for the students,' said Farhat Jadoon, principal of the school. 'It's a welfare school, not funded by a third party, and the tuition fees are the lowest in the state, around 3,000 dirhams per year. So, within that budget we were unable to look into other aspects.' With Ma'an's support, the school was renovated over the summer break. 'They changed the flooring, changed the roof, improved the learning space… they made a very upskilled school clinic as well,' Jadoon said. 'They looked into every single detail… Without Ma'an, we wouldn't have been able to do it with our restricted financial budgets.' The results have been profound. Attendance has jumped from around 70 per cent to over 95 per cent, according to the principal. 'It's a good culture now,' she said. 'Now we are able to have many happenings in the school. Not just the students; now we are able to do it for the parents as well.' For the first time in its history, the school hosted an International Day, inviting students from Bangladeshi and Filipino schools, and was rated 'Good' by Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) inspectors. 'We are doing a lot of things for the first time,' said Jadoon. 'We have added clubs — karate club, music clubs, because now we have more space, shaded space is more important.' Operation Smile UAE The series has also brought visibility and funding to causes like Operation Smile UAE, which provides cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries to children and young adults. 'Ma'an has helped not only spread the word amongst everyone in Abu Dhabi… but also helped us raise funds to be able to pay for the surgeries that these children, their families, would never be able to afford,' said Morag Cromey-Hawke, Executive Director of Operation Smile UAE. 'It costs around 30,000 dirhams for a surgery and people that live here, they can't afford that type of funds when they're only on a small income.' Cromey-Hawke shared the story of Covenant, an eight-year-old boy from Ghana suffering from severe facial anomalies, including a cleft palate and orbital deformities. Thanks to the UAE's support, Covenant is set to undergo complex craniofacial surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London — at an estimated cost of 100,000 dirhams. 'We've raised the money for him,' Cromey-Hawke said. 'We're working with Operation Smile UK to see if they can help facilitate, because they will need to have accommodation. The hospital has helped us out and said… there's housing next door. We're working with three organisations and we're going to try and see if some of the airlines will help with flights and everything.' Providing free, safe surgeries Since receiving its licence in 2011, Operation Smile UAE has helped between 3,500 to 4,000 patients, providing free, safe surgeries and comprehensive care both locally and through international missions. While it initially operated as a resource country — recruiting medical volunteers and raising funds for programmes abroad — its UAE-based surgical operations began in 2017, in partnership with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Since then, the charity has supported over 150 cleft surgeries across the Emirates, in addition to providing dental care, nutrition support and speech therapy for children in need. 'His mother wants him to be just a regular little boy,' Cromey-Hawke added, 'doing the same as everyone else.' With Season 2 of Ahl Al Ataa now underway, Dr Al Khaili said the authority will continue to spotlight and support grassroots initiatives that address real challenges on the ground. 'Based on the challenges [from the quality of life survey], next year, God willing, there will be another group of coverages on other challenges,' he said. The idea, he added, is to use storytelling as a form of civic scaffolding — inspiring others to contribute while building institutional memory for how community support works in practice.
Emirates 24/7
8 hours ago
- Emirates 24/7
UAE carries out airdrops over Gaza for second consecutive day as part of ‘Birds of Goodness' operation
The UAE, in cooperation with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has continued its humanitarian airdrop operations over isolated areas of the Gaza Strip as part of the 'Birds of Goodness" initiative, conducting its 55th airdrop today, marking the second consecutive day of airborne aid deliveries. These efforts fall under the umbrella of 'Operation Chivalrous Knight 3', reaffirming the UAE's steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and alleviating their humanitarian suffering, especially in areas inaccessible by land due to the ongoing security situation. Since the launch of the 'Birds of Goodness' initiative, approximately 3,750 tonnes of vital humanitarian aid have been airdropped. These include essential food items and critical relief supplies designed to meet the urgent needs of families affected by the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This operation is part of the UAE's broader, sustained humanitarian response to the deteriorating conditions in the Strip. The UAE reaffirmed its ongoing coordination with regional and international partners to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those in need in the Strip through all available channels, air, land, and sea. These efforts reflect the UAE's deep-rooted humanitarian values and its leading global role in relief and aid operations. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
