Beyond skyscrapers: How Dubai is building a more connected city

Dubai: Dubai’s skyline may be one of the world’s most recognisable, but some of the city’s most important connections are being built far from its skyscrapers.

They are taking shape on running tracks, at hiking trails, music events, professional meet-ups, and community gatherings, places where residents come together around shared interests and, often, form friendships that extend beyond the activity that brought them together.

As Dubai’s population continues to grow and people arrive from around the world to live, work, and build businesses, these informal networks have become an increasingly visible part of the city’s social fabric.

The challenge for a rapidly growing global city is therefore not only how to build the roads, homes, schools, and transport systems needed by a larger population, but also how to create opportunities for people to connect with one another. That is where Dubai’s growing network of interest-based communities comes in.

Building the social infrastructure

The idea has been particularly relevant in 2026, designated by the UAE as the Year of the Family, as Dubai continues to pursue the goals of the Dubai Social Agenda 33. The agenda has set a target for Dubai to rank among the world’s top three cities in terms of living standards, with social cohesion, quality of life, healthcare, education, culture, sport, and community among its priorities. It complements the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33. 

In this environment, “MyDubai Communities” has helped organise and give greater visibility to a movement that was already developing organically across the emirate.

Launched in April 2025 under the vision of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the initiative has evolved from the #MyDubai platform that started in 2014.

The aim has been to make it easier for residents, visitors, and citizens to discover people and activities that match their interests, while giving organisers greater opportunities to collaborate.

Fitness becomes community

For many residents, connection begins with something as simple as going for a run. Experiential wellness community Breasy has brought together more than 30,000 participants in just over two years, with weekly sessions regularly attracting between 300 and 400 people.

Its activities have included sunrise breathwork, community runs, and larger experiences at established locations across Dubai.

What makes such groups significant has been their accessibility. Beginners can participate alongside experienced runners and regular members, creating a low-pressure way for people to meet others.

The same principle has been visible in Dubai’s outdoor and sports communities. Groups such as The Hike & Co and YMK Sports Community organise weekly hikes and multi-sport sessions, attracting residents from more than 45 nationalities.

Finding professional connections

Community has also been playing a role in Dubai’s professional and technology sectors. Women in Tech Dubai has built a network of up to 1,000 women working across technology, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship.

Its activities include hackathons, mentorship circles, and industry collaborations. The network has helped facilitate job referrals, project collaborations, and skills development opportunities.

For member Divya Meghwal, the community has offered something she had not expected when she moved to Dubai.

“I moved to Dubai three years ago, all alone, and never knew a community like this existed,” shared Meghwal.

She has discovered the group while looking for her next role and it changed how she viewed life in the emirate.

“It immediately made me feel that in this city, you're not alone, there are people like you.”

For Meghwal, the stories shared by other women and the sense of belonging have become reasons to remain involved.

“It's more than I expected and I'm grateful to be part of a community where so many of us truly feel like we belong.”

Music becomes a meeting point

Not every community has been built around careers or exercise. In Dubai’s creative scene, Vinyl Souk has developed a following among DJs, record collectors, artists, and music enthusiasts.

What began as a niche music initiative has expanded through pop-ups, workshops, and multi-venue experiences, creating opportunities for people to meet through a common appreciation of music.

For Dubai resident and record collector Omer Tarik, the community has become particularly important after arriving in the city without an established social circle. 

“As a newcomer to Dubai, I joined Vinyl Souk as a vendor with a single crate of records, which quickly became a conversation starter,” recalled Tarik.

The events have subsequently led to friendships and new connections, helping him find his “tribe in Dubai.”

“If I had to describe my journey in one sentence, it would be the joy of discovering music together.”

From ideas to action

For younger residents, community can also mean finding ways to contribute to the city. The Global Shapers Dubai Community has brought together over 500 members from more than 20 nationalities, with a focus on civic engagement and impact.

Its activities have included structured dialogues, workshops, and collaborative projects covering areas such as sustainability, education, and entrepreneurship.

The emphasis has not just been on meeting people, but on turning discussions and shared interests into projects and action.

Next chapter

The community ecosystem is still developing. MyDubai Communities’ next phase has been expected to focus on broadening representation, including greater participation by families, children, and people of determination, while expanding communities around sustainability, gastronomy, and the arts.

The wider objective is to ensure that Dubai’s social infrastructure develops along with its physical and economic growth.

That is another way a global city is built, not only through the places people move through, but through the communities they build together.