Dubai: The UAE is gearing up for a month-long event that celebrates innovation with over 1,000 activities to be organised across all seven emirates, it was announced on Tuesday.
The UAE Innovation Month, previously known as the UAE Innovation Week, is the largest celebration of its kind that seeks to celebrate the best in ideas on innovation from the spectrum of government and private sectors, as well as from the public.
This year, the national event will be kicking off from Abu Dhabi and moving through each emirate, with major events to be open to the public throughout the month, an official has announced.
Huda Al Hashemi, assistant director-general for Strategy and Innovation, UAE Prime Minister’s Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, said the UAE Innovation Month will see the latest innovations being shared in different sectors and the launch of a number of leading initiatives that will back innovation in the UAE.
The UAE Innovation Month and its activities has been also linked to the Year of Zayed and will highlight the role of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan as an innovator.
“What makes this edition special is that it will be going on for an entire month and moving from one emirate to another, starting from Abu Dhabi on February 1 and ending in Dubai on February 28. It will be a month filled with over 1,000 innovative events and activities,” she said.
Al Hashemi said the UAE innovation initiative has become a key pillar in the government’s implementation of the national innovation strategy, which was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to develop government work based on innovative approaches.
“We started with a mission of enhancing the culture of innovation and creativity among all UAE nationals, expats and visitors in the first year of the event. With that already being achieved, we now wanted to focus on expanding the events and have main events open on the weekend for the public to join,” she said.
Starting with Abu Dhabi in the first week, she said the second week of the innovation activities will take place in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and Fujairah, moving on to Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain (UAQ) in the third week and ending in Dubai during the last week.
“The main events will be taking place at places where the public would usually gather, so we chose the Abu Dhabi Corniche, Murjan Island in RAK, Fujairah Beach, Al Majaz Waterfront, Emirates Hospitality Centre in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain Shaikh Khalifa Hall and City Walk in Dubai,” she said.
Al Hashemi said the month will also witness seminars, forums, workshops and other activities, all focused on innovation across various locations, such as the “Innovate” event to be organised in Abu Dhabi, the launch of the Google Centre for Innovation in UAE University, the National Science, Technology and Innovation (NSTI) Festival for students at the festival arena, which will see the participation of students from all across the UAE, among others in workshops and talks.
She also announced the Innovation Truck which will move along the innovation route in each emirate and will be positioned at the main gatherings in each emirate.
“The moving platform of innovation is going to be a hub and will serve as a place where the big announcements will be made and will have workshops organised. We have also the snap-card Innovation Safari which people can participate in through our social media platforms to win prizes through vending machines,” she said.
UAE Innovation Month dates
Abu Dhabi: February 1-7
Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah: February 8-14
Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain: February 15-21
Dubai: February 22-28
