Dubai: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) recently signed a cultural MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage to document Emirati intangible heritage and raise awareness of the advancement of the literary sector as one of Dubai’s most promising creative fields.
The MoU will strengthen cooperation between the two parties in promoting literature by activating relevant international events and days, such as Arab Library Day, Arabic Manuscript Day, Arab Poetry Day, and Emirati Women’s Day.
It also affirms the necessity of cooperation between Dubai Culture and the Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage in establishing and organising practical and scientific workshops, especially in literary fields, such as classification and cataloguing, criticism, creative writing, and everything related to manuscripts and documentation.
The MoU was signed by Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector in Dubai Culture, and Dr Mohamed Kamel Gad, general manager of Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage.
Advancing literary sector
According to the MoU, both parties will coordinate through their respective fields of work to particularly empower the literary and heritage fields and develop mechanisms for
collaboration, including both parties’ use of halls and facilities, the exchange of books, Emirati heritage audiovisual materials, periodicals and other publications, as well as the formation of committees to arrange joint work mechanisms.
Bin Kharbash said: “We are pleased to sign a new partnership with a leading centre in Dubai and the UAE’s cultural, heritage and literary fields by activating relevant events and holding workshops dedicated to advancing the literature sector. In the process, we will be consolidating the cultural and creative industries and the effect of their outputs on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”
Gad said: “We are pleased to document this partnership between the centre and Dubai Culture, which plays a leading role in supporting culture and creativity. This partnership comes within the framework of unifying and integrating efforts between institutions towards fulfilling pioneering achievements at the cultural and heritage levels in line with the vision of Dubai and the UAE’s wise leadership to turn Dubai into a global hub for creativity.”
Common goals
The MoU also seeks to enhance the exchange and integration of information, follow up on the latest developments, and ensure availability to researchers and decision-makers. Additionally, both parties seek to coordinate and benefit from their respective expertise and promote the achievement of common goals, effectively contributing to comprehensive community development.
Dubai Culture is constantly keen on developing the cultural and creative industries, including the literary industries in the emirate, as well as preserving Dubai’s rich heritage, ensuring it is accessible to everyone, everywhere. The Authority also aims to cement Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity and a thriving hub for talent, thus, supporting cultural diversity and empowering the cultural and creative sector as a tributary of the local economy.
