Latifa bint Mohammed inaugurates 2024 World Cities Culture Summit

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), officially inaugurated the 2024 World Cities Culture Summit in Dubai. Under the theme ‘Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape Our World?’, the prestigious event is being held in the MENA region for the first time.

The summit, which has drawn the participation of over 36 cities globally and runs until 1 November, offers a dynamic platform for exchanging ideas and expertise, highlighting the commitment of cities worldwide in supporting the creative economy, investing in cultural and creative industries, and fostering talent to help reshape the future of creative cities.

Her Highness expressed pride in Dubai becoming the first Arab city to host the esteemed event, underscoring Dubai’s standing on the world stage as a centre for culture, innovation, and the creative economy, and a convergence point for thought leaders and creatives worldwide.

“Today, the world gathers in Dubai to explore culture’s power in shaping the cities of tomorrow and to establish a global framework for cultural policy. This summit reflects Dubai’s bold vision for the future, embodying the ambitions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to build a sustainable future by embracing creativity and innovation to address challenges. The theme, ‘Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape Our World?’ resonates with our commitment to empowering our youth – the leaders of the future. With their ideas, talents, and creative visions, they will forge new paths of excellence and innovation, building a promising tomorrow,” Her Highness said.

Emphasis on education
During the summit’s opening ceremony, Sheikha Latifa launched the global report ‘The Future of Education in the Creative Economy,’ which examines the evolving role of education in the cultural and creative industries, underscoring the importance of investing in education to establish a knowledge- and innovation-driven economy. She highlighted the need for an inspiring and innovative ecosystem to empower youth worldwide, enabling them to realise their true potential and strengthening the global cultural and creative sectors.

Her Highness added: “Through this summit, we unite our efforts to elevate youth as the leaders and innovators of tomorrow, aiming to build strong educational foundations that will shape their future. We are proud to launch this report, marking a transformative step in education within the cultural and creative industries, highlighting its crucial role in sustaining the creative economy.”

Held under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa, the summit opened with a glittering ceremony at the Al Maktoum Residence in Al Shindagha Museum, the UAE’s largest heritage museum. The inaugural ceremony witnessed Dubai Abulhoul, Emirati author, Rhodes scholar and CEO and founder of Fikr Foundation, delivering a creative keynote address and sharing her insights on the power of cultural storytelling in addressing today’s pressing challenges. Through her inspiring words, she encouraged attendees to view culture as a transformative tool that bridges generational and ideological divides.

Inspiring the youth
Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, and Founder and Chair of World Cities Culture Forum, said: “The World Cities Culture Summit is shaping the future of our cities through culture. Hosted in Dubai for the first time, we have focused on the role young people can play in designing our future. As we look forward, cities must address the climate crisis, create good quality jobs, build cohesive communities and grow economies. Leaders from across the globe are working together to address these challenges and unlock the transformative power of culture for all.

On the summit’s first day, sessions unfolded under the theme ‘People, Places, and Planet’ across heritage houses within Al Shindagha Museum, including the Perfume House, Traditional Crafts House, Al Sadu House, and Coastal and Marine Industries House. The opening session, ‘The Next Generation in Action,’ explored how cities can inspire youth to engage with culture and become advocates for cultural heritage within their communities. Following this, a session titled ‘Culture: Keeping Hope Alive in a Changing Climate’ addressed culture’s role in driving creative solutions and innovative thinking to tackle environmental challenges, showcasing how the arts can inspire climate-positive action.

‘Global Innovations for Creative Spaces’ highlighted strategies for affordable spaces, such as creative land trusts, as cities grapple with rising living costs. Later, ‘African Cities, Global Voices’ spotlighted African cities as hubs of innovation, showcasing cultural diplomacy and storytelling in collaboration with the Mayor’s Dialogue, Lago Collective, and the Moleskine Foundation. This session emphasised community-driven creativity’s transformative impact locally and globally.

During a session entitled ‘24-Hour Culture: Designing the Night,’ speakers discussed inclusive night-time economies, with initiatives like night markets and light festivals that energise urban spaces after dark. The final session, ‘Culture: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once?’ explored new cultural engagement models, from partnerships with Indigenous communities to embedding culture within neighbourhoods, and highlighted ways for cities to bridge gaps in community involvement.

Leadership Exchange Programme
The day also marked the launch of the third round of the ‘Leadership Exchange Programme,’ supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, which is aimed at fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among cities.

Dubai’s proactive approach left a distinctive mark on the summit, which, for the first time in its history, saw the host city’s task force actively involved in programming, underscoring the importance of local-global collaboration in shaping future urban cultural policies. Dubai also introduced an innovative summit archive, a first-of-its-kind initiative to document discussions and insights in a comprehensive report, ensuring the longevity of best practices and ideas. Additionally, a new sustainability report was unveiled, integrating environmental considerations into the cultural agenda, strengthening the role of cultural initiatives in driving climate-positive action. The summit also launched a policy accelerator focused on the night-time economy, establishing new benchmarks for enhancing night-time cultural activities that contribute to urban economic growth.

Extending the summit’s impact, Dubai Culture is to host a public session at Alserkal Avenue on October 31 titled ‘Tomorrow’s Talent: What Do Creatives Need from Cities?’ This session looks to motivate talents and community members to exchange ideas with experts and leaders, addressing strategies for affordable workspaces, innovative education, and ways cities can support creatives in a rapidly changing world.

An extraordinary edition of the summit was highlighted by a remarkable opening ceremony led by Emirati writer Shamma Al Bastaki and Oud player Seif Ahmed Al Ali, celebrating the UAE’s rich heritage and diverse landscapes — desert, sea, and mountains. The ceremony, rooted in tradition, showcased Dubai as a dynamic hub for entrepreneurs, investors, thinkers, and creatives worldwide, with live performances highlighting local craftsmanship, including Al Sadu weaving, pottery, embroidery, pearl diving, and fishing net making, alongside artistic and folklore displays highlighting Dubai’s unique creative landscape.

Supporting and empowering local talent, Dubai Culture introduced Emirati creatives like Chef Meera Al Naqbi and twin chefs Abdulrahman and Maitha Al Hashmi, whose culinary creations spiced up the opening day. This initiative reflects Dubai Culture’s mission to inspire talent and showcase Emirati creativity to diverse audiences.

Flagship event
The summit is the flagship event of the World Cities Culture Forum, considered the leading network for cultural policymaking. World Cities Culture Forum provides a way for city leaders to share research and intelligence and explore the vital role of culture in their future prosperity, with over 45 member cities around the world that share the common factor of culture as a key driver of social and economic development.

The summit brings together a diverse and influential network of Deputy Mayors, Culture Commissioners, Directors of Culture and city leaders, providing a unique platform to connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas with peers from around the globe. It is a solutions-focused event that encourages city leaders to collaborate to improve the lives of their citizens through culture: over half of previous attendees have implemented or improved a cultural policy in their city as a direct outcome of attending the summit.

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