Nahyan bin Mubarak opens Global Encounters Festival 2025
DUBAI (WAM) Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, today inaugurated the Global Encounters Festival 2025, a unique gathering of more than 4,000 young artists and athletes from over 50 countries, uniting in the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and shared humanity.The opening ceremony, held at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), was attended by distinguished dignitaries, including His Highness Prince Aly Mohammed Aga Khan and His Highness Prince Amyn Mohammed Aga Khan, alongside over 25,000 visitors from around the world.Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, the Global Encounters Festival 2025 takes place from July 20-27 across multiple venues in Dubai, featuring an engaging programme of sports competitions, art showcases, concerts, exhibitions, and immersive cultural experiences.During his keynote address, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said, 'I am pleased to express our country's great pleasure in welcoming so many festival participants from around the world. I am especially pleased to warmly greet and welcome His Highness Prince Aly Mohammed Aga Khan and His Highness Prince Amyn Mohammed Aga Khan. Their respected world view, and their strong commitment to preserving our Islamic heritage and traditions, are well known. Their presence will certainly enrich this festival.'He added, 'You have assembled in Dubai under our country's welcoming Arab tent that has sheltered a peaceful and innovative population at this global crossroads. This city and this country are showing the world that people from different nations, different ethnicities, different religions, and different cultures can live and work together in peace and harmony, in an environment marked by understanding, respect, and shared values.'He emphasised the UAE's national ethos of coexistence and the role of sports and arts in building bridges across cultures, 'Under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the visionary guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we in the UAE cherish the bridges that sports and the arts build between peoples and nations.'Reflecting on his past attendance at the Jubilee Games 2016, he said, 'I am glad to see how much the festival has grown. The festival's focus on arts and sports reminds us that accomplishment comes from effort and persistence, and that these fields promote joy, friendship, and goodwill. They are important catalysts for peace, coexistence, and harmony in the world.'Sheikh Nahyan also praised the hosts, saying, 'I congratulate the hosts of the festival – the Prince Aga Khan Ismaili Council for the United Arab Emirates. They give us an opportunity to express our admiration for the strong commitment and success of the Ismaili community, under the leadership of His Highness the Aga Khan, to promote peace, tolerance, and understanding in the world.'He concluded his remarks with a message of encouragement and gratitude, 'I commend all of you for being here and for taking up the particular challenge that this Festival represents. I share in your hopes and expectations that this festival will be a valuable contribution to promoting dialogue and establishing lasting friendships. My best wishes for successful games, exhilarating competition, and an outstanding artistic and cultural experience.'
A Lasting Legacy of CollaborationThe Festival reflects long-standing engagement between the Ismaili community, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Gulf region through collaboration with public and private institutions. 'The Global Encounters Festival is not only a celebration of artistic and athletic talent – it is a testament to the enduring values that unite us as a global community,' said His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan.'Throughout our history, the Ismaili community has sought to cultivate knowledge, foster mutual respect and encourage young people to lead lives of purpose and integrity. In today's interconnected yet fragile world, the role of youth as bridge-builders is more critical than ever. This Festival reflects our commitment to preparing the next generation not only to succeed, but to serve - to uplift the societies in which they live, and to be champions of peace, pluralism and a shared humanity,' added His Highness.Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, said, 'Youth development, talent mobility, and cross-border collaboration are essential drivers of long-term economic growth. Hosting the Global Encounters Festival aligns with Dubai's wider economic agenda, reinforcing our role as a global platform for innovation, cultural exchange, and human capital development. "As we look to future-proof our economy, events like this provide an opportunity to engage tomorrow's leaders, strengthen knowledge ecosystems, and advance Dubai's position as a magnet for talent, enterprise, and ideas.'Celebrating diversity across more than 200 nationalities, the Festival aligns with the UAE's Year of Community 2025, promoting inclusion, sustainability and innovation as universal values.Mahir Julfar, EVP of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) said, 'We are proud to host the Global Encounters Festival 2025, a large-scale, purpose-driven event that reflects our enduring commitment to operational excellence and global collaboration. With over 25,000 visitors expected, DWTC is well-positioned to deliver a world-class experience that matches the ambition and energy of this remarkable youth-led gathering,''The Global Encounters Festival exemplifies the spirit of unity, service and excellence that the Ismaili community aspires to worldwide,' said Malik Talib, Chair of the Ismaili Leaders' International Forum (LIF).'It offers young people a powerful platform to express their talents, build lasting friendships across borders and deepen their commitment to improving the societies in which they live.'The Festival aims to empower the next generation of changemakers - nurturing artists, athletes and civic leaders who are not only pursuing excellence but also driving social impact, climate action, and intercultural understanding.'This is more than an event. It's a living example of what's possible when young people from around the world come together with purpose,''Dubai, with its visionary leadership and unmatched cultural energy, is the ideal home for this global celebration.' Concluded Talib.
From electric rideshares to zero-waste venues and a global tree-planting campaign, sustainability remains a cornerstone of the Festival. Thousands of participants are supporting the Roots for Change initiative, pledging to plant 1 million trees globally in alignment with Net Zero 2030 goals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sharjah 24
15 minutes ago
- Sharjah 24
Exhibition of 'Euphrates Rhythms' opens at Arab Cultural Club
Showcasing nature and heritage The exhibition featured around 30 paintings of various sizes, depicting scenes from the Euphrates Valley. Al-Khashman illustrated the river, its beautiful trees, stunning nature, and archaeological sites such as Al-Rahba Castle in Mayadin, Sheikh Shibli area, Ain Ali, and the historic city of Al-Asharah (Taraqah). The works highlight the beauty of the region's nature and focus particularly on the ancient cities, architectural details, traditional alleyways, and the charm of classic engineering, evoking a deep nostalgia for the past. Attention to detail and artistic style Al-Khashman pays meticulous attention to shapes and colours. When painting mountains, he captures stone textures, colours, and small plants growing between rocks. Forest paths reflect intertwined branches, fallen leaves, and traces of footsteps. Architectural works focus on Islamic designs such as domes, arches, columns, and muqarnas. His portrayal of figures blends realism with impressionism, inviting viewers to reflect. Organisational context and artistic vision Khalifa Al-Shimi, the Club's events and exhibitions manager, explained that this exhibition is part of a continuous series promoting Arab artists from diverse backgrounds. The Club provides a platform for artists to showcase their work and reach a broad audience in the UAE. Artist's connection to the land Al-Shimi added that the Syrian artist residing in the UAE, Adnan Al-Khashman, expresses a strong emotional connection to the land. His work preserves spatial and emotional memories, paying tribute to the land that embraced him, inspiring love, beauty, and teaching him the fundamentals of art. The exhibition presents a beautiful visual narrative with skillful use of colour.
What's On
3 hours ago
- What's On
9 farm-to-table restaurants in Dubai for nourishing meals
Once upon a time it was fashionable to add the words 'farm to table' to a restaurant description. Just a way to attract more of an audience and to appear different, but now it's evolved and grown into a culinary movement, led by environment and community conscious chefs and restauranteurs who are bringing local farms and farmers into the spotlight. Think fresh, seasonal produce – organic vegetables, free-range and ethically-raised meats, and non-processed dairy. These restaurants in Dubai offer just that. Teible Teible at Jameel Arts Centre is the seasonal, farm-to-table restaurant you need to try this summer. The spot sources 95% of its ingredients from within the UAE – 60% of its fruit and vegetables are supplied by Sharjah's The Greenheart Farm; meat products, such as beef, lamb and camel are sourced from Home Meat Farm; ingredients such as lemon verbena herbs and mushrooms are collected from My Farm Dubai. Guests visiting will see Teible's eco-friendly ceiling made from superfine wood wool sourced from an FSC-certified forest, countertops made with a date seed-based material, and walls built using discarded palm trees from Abu Dhabi. Location: Jameel Arts Centre, Jaddaf Waterfront Times: Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, 10am to 5pm, 6pm to 9pm, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm, 6pm to 10pm, Monday and Tuesday, 10am to 5pm Contact: (0) 4 243 6683 @teible_ Gerbou Atelier House Hospitality teamed up with with Tashkeel for this farm-to-table restaurant that embodies contemporary Arab culture. Gerbou is a sustainable, homegrown restaurant that celebrates Emirati cuisine, housed in a renovated building from 1987. The spot itself has been decked out with art done by Tahskeel. Mirroring the look and feel, the menu promises to be a flight through Arab and Emirati flavours, with locally sourced, sustainable ingredients taking centre stage. Emirati chef Sahar Al Awadhi has consulted on the culinary offering, which will be led by chef Ionel Catau. Location: Gerbou, Nad Al Sheba Times: Monday to Friday, 7am to 11pm, Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 11pm Contact: (0) 4 222 6888 @gerbou Lila Molino + Taqueria Chef Shaw Lash's brands of homegrown, authentic, flavour-packed Mexican dining are all farm-to-table concepts. Other than the heirloom corn from Mexico, Lila uses locally-sourced ingredients from the likes of Deira Waterfront Market, Dibba Bay and Al Rahba Organic Farm in Abu Dhabi. If you think Mexican food is all mushy avocados and greasy tacos, these spots will prove you wrong. Quality ingredients and authentic flavours are well-presented in a different but warm atmospheres, sure to keep the stomach full but the heart even fuller. Lila is all about good food, and good food only. Lila Molino in Alserkal Avenue also has a concept store you can shop from. Location: Alserkal Avenue, Jumeirah Contact: @lilamolino , @lilataqueria Boca Boca is somewhat of a legend in the Dubai dining scene. 10 years into operation, this restaurant has been pioneering industry-leading sustainability initiatives, that look to further the use of local produce not only in their own restaurant in DIFC, but across the city. When Boca started out in 2014, they looked to include a dish or two that featured seafood from the local fish market. But over the last ten years, the sustainability programme has expanded to a 30-page, 5-pillar sustainability manifesto covering everything from local sourcing to their energy consumption, which has resulted in Boca being recognised with a Green Michelin Star in the Dubai Michelin Guide. Location: Boca, DIFC Times: Sunday to Wednesday, 12pm to 12.30am, Thursday to Saturday, 12.30pm to 1.30am Contact: (0) 4 323 1833 @bocadubai The Growhouse by One Life One Life has always had a made-from-scratch, sustainable philosophy, but now with an indoor farm where they're growing their own ingredients, they're executing it in the most absolute manner – real zero-mile, farm-to-table stuff at The Growhouse, brand new outpost number 3. Housed within industrial chic walls, the cafe and co-working space features a regenerative biodiversity farm and a massive kitchen, three times larger than the sister branches, and is also now the catering HQ of the brand. UAE-based sustainable solutions provider LetitGRO is offering horticulture expertise. Location: The Growhouse by One Life, Alserkal Avenue Times: Daily, 8am to 10.30pm Contact: ( 0) 4 257 3984 @thegrowhousedxb Lowe Dubai's only recipient of a Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy, Lowe has a firm focus on reducing waste, sourcing local and giving back to its community – not only with farm-to-table dining, but also other aspects of sustainability. This eatery first pushed this ethos with its popular Waste Not dinners made entirely of food scraps and has since adapted to the rest of their operations. Think nose-to-tail dining, using leftover peels in recipes and fermentation, and avoiding single-use plastic. Lowe even has its own vegetable garden in their backyard to grow some of their own produce. Location: Lowe, Kao Canvas, Wadi Al Safa 3 Times: Friday to Sunday, 8pm to 4pm, 6pm to 11pm, Monday and Tuesday, closed, Wednesday and Thursday, 6pm to 11pm Contact: ( 0) 4 320 1890 @lowedxb Dibba Bay Oysters What's On Award-winning sustainable restaurant, Dibba Bay Oysters has built an Emirati mariculture business that's almost single-handedly put the UAE on the food producing map. Identifiable by their white and gold-flecked shell and meaty texture, The Friends of the Sea-certified aquaculture farm produces the first and only gourmet oysters from the Middle East. Now you can enjoy them at two standalone Dibba Bay Oysters restaurants. The original can be found at Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 2, while its latest opening promises licensed dining down on the beach at Sheraton JBR. Location: Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 2, Sheraton JBR Contact: @dibbabay_restaurants. Cheesefarm Opening soon on the Nakheel Mall rooftop, this is the UAE's first in-house creamery restaurant. Created by the Novikov Group, Cheesefarm is more than just a restaurant. It is a fully operational creamery and open kitchen, where handmade cheese is prepared daily on-site using organic milk from local UAE farms such as Meliha Dairy in Sharjah. It marks the first restaurant in the UAE to produce fresh cheese in-house, bringing an authentic farm-to-fork dining experience to the city. Here, the food is all about Italian flavours and flair – hearty dishes paired with fresh, made-on-site dairy. Location: Nakheel Mall Times: Sunday to Thursday, 12pm to 12am, Friday to Saturday, 12pm to 1am Contact: ( 0) 52 123 8777 @cheesefarm_uae Farmers Commons Farmers Commons in The First Collection in Jumeirah Village Triangle is a community-inspired, farm-to-table restaurant offering all-day dining in a relaxed, contemporary setting. Born from a simple idea in Texas and now rooted in the heart of Dubai, this is a restaurant that celebrates local farming and sustainable dining in Dubai. The spot has partnered with passionate farmers to honour the rhythms of nature, support local growers, and deliver authentic farm-to-table experiences. Location: The First Collection, Jumeirah Village Triangle Times: Daily, 6.30am to 12am Contact: ( 0) 4 545 2037 @farmerscommonsdubai Images: Socials
Sharjah 24
2 days ago
- Sharjah 24
Sharjah Youth cultivates future leaders through activities
The event featured a variety of educational and practical programmes that combined arts, technical, and professional skills, aiming to hone their skills and build their capacities in an advanced educational environment. Creating informed and creative generations The event, held on Thursday, is part of a series of events organised by APC in Sharjah for its parliamentarians. This event is part of the comprehensive vision established by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to support Arab children and create informed and influential generations, qualified to shape their future with knowledge, awareness, and responsibility. Youth studio Programmes included a comprehensive set of specialised workshops distributed across several tracks, the most prominent of which was the "Youth Studio" track, which included the "Animation" programme. Participants participated in a series of workshops in which they learned the importance of visual presentation and the basics of drawing. They also learned how to use the "Procreate" programme and produce professionally animated scenes, enhancing their artistic abilities and connecting them to modern digital technologies. Miniature world The "Miniature World" workshop opened the horizons of photography for child parliamentarians. They received training in photo-taking skills, controlling lighting and angles, and visual expression using the camera. This also enhanced their creativity and imagination in producing images that express their own vision of beauty and the moment. Creative writing In the Creative Writing track, parliamentarians participated in the "Short Story Writing" programme as part of the "Speaker" programme'. They learned how to express their ideas and experiences in an engaging literary style, while also training in condensation, abbreviation, and scenario formulation techniques. This provided them with the opportunity to enter the world of authorship and writing with awareness and professionalism. Artistic field In the artistic field, the workshops featured a rich variety of activities, most notably the "Pottery Shaping" workshop, which allowed participants to practice an important visual art that complements Arabic calligraphy. They learned how to shape pottery using creative methods that can be applied to paintings or sculptures, adding a new aesthetic dimension to their craftsmanship. Architectural model Children also participated in creating geometric models through the "Architectural Model" workshop, where they designed three-dimensional models of realistic buildings using wood chips. This enabled them to interact with design and construction concepts, connect imagination with urban reality, and instil their engineering thinking and spatial planning skills. Science and technology In the field of science and technology, parliamentarians undertook a unique technological experience in the "LEGO Robotics" workshop, which focused on introducing them to the design and construction of robots and how to interact with them in a practical way. This enhanced their programming skills and connected them to the world of modern technology and logical thinking. On the vocational front, the children received practical training in the "Auto Mechanics" workshop, which introduced them to home maintenance skills, from plumbing and carpentry to technical repairs. This training framework connects them to daily life skills that enhance their independence and ability to deal with simple challenges in their daily lives. APC members engaged greatly with these workshops, showing remarkable enthusiasm and a willingness to learn new things. These activities provided a fertile ground for self-discovery and expanding horizons of knowledge, reflecting the advanced approach adopted by the Rubu' Qarn Foundation and Sharjah Youth in caring for children and youth. Unique collaboration In this context, His Excellency Ayman Othman Al Barout, Secretary-General of APC, expressed his pride in this unique collaboration with the Rubu' Qarn Foundation, emphasising that these programmmes represent a strong start to their meeting in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, as part of the second session of the Parliament's fourth term. Programmes clearly translate Sharjah's vision of empowering Arab children through learning, innovation, and creativity. Investing in children Al Barout said that organisation and quality programmes seen at Sharjah Youth reflect a leadership vision that invests in childhood and provides parliamentarians with the opportunity to acquire advanced skills that will accompany them in their future endeavours. The partnership between APC and the Rubu' Qarn Foundation is now yielding tangible programmes that build minds and stimulate energies in an inspiring, interactive environment."
