Canada brings award winning artists to promote cultural diplomacy at Expo 2020 Dubai

Dubai: Three-time Juno Award nominated singer-songwriter Jill Barber will lead Canada’s cultural diplomacy at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Consulate General of Canada in Dubai and the Northern Emirates announced its agenda, ‘Looking Forward’, as part of its diplomacy through arts and culture. The North American country is also being promoted as a destination of choice for education and immigration, as well as hub of innovation and technology.

Jean-Philippe Linteau, Consul General of Canada in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said: “Canada will bring more artistic and cultural talents in the coming year to the UAE. Through cultural diplomacy, Canada seeks to promote its core values such as diversity and inclusion. The consulate held a special event for media to interact with Jill Barber and launch its cultural agenda.

“Canada’s diversity is the foundation of innovation and of peaceful and prosperous society,” he underlined. Not-to-miss performances

Barber, one of Canada’s most highly praised singer-songwriters, is scheduled to perform at 9pm on Friday, October 8 at the Millennium Amphitheatre. She will come back for another performance on Oct. 9, 5pm, at the Jubilee Stage

According to the Canadian Consulate, Barber’s “timeless voice will take listeners from the jazz clubs of 1950s Paris, to the cafés of 1960s Greenwich Village, to present day.”

Barber’s repertoire spans a transformative spectrum from folk, to vocal jazz, to pop, and includes songs in both French and English. Her breakthrough jazz album ‘Chances’ was certified Gold, with 40,000 copies sold in Canada.

She had won awards, including Sirius XM Jazz Artist of the Year and the East Coast Music Award for Album of the Year. Blue Rodeo, Ron Sexsmith and Kris Kristofferson call Barber “a real songwriter, and a damn good songwriter.”

Aside from Barber, Les Grands Hurleurs, who have won the hearts of international audiences by performing modernised traditional music with the integration of folk, classical and bluegrass influences, will also perform at the Expo.

The group Beolach will also perform their innovative and exciting arrangements of traditional tunes from Nova Scotia, Scotland and Ireland for fiddle, bagpipes, piano and guitar on October 8, 9 and 10.

Canada to welcome 1.2 million immigrants

Meanwhile, Canada has launched an ambitious immigration plan to stimulate the post-pandemic economic recovery. “Canada will welcome more than 1.2 million immigrants in the next three years, including 401,000 this year alone,” said the Consul General Linteau.

He added: “Canada sees immigration as a catalyst for innovation and welcomes newcomers to succeed in Canada.” The country is host to over 700,000 international students.

Future in Mind

“Canada will continue to lead on key global issues such as gender, inclusion and climate change, and looks forward to working with the UAE and regional partners,” Linteau noted.

He underlined: “Canadian resources, policies and expertise are key to accelerating economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Canada is committed to the future, exploring the next dimension, and investing in bringing solutions to issues facing the planet.”

“Expo 2020 Dubai is a unique opportunity to share the Canadian experience for visitors through its landmark Canadian Pavilion ‘Future in Mind’.