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Dubai Culture, UAE Falcons Federation Join Hands to Preserve Emirati Heritage

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
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Dubai Culture, UAE Falcons Federation Join Hands to Preserve Emirati Heritage

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Falcons Federation to strengthen collaboration in promoting awareness of Emirati heritage among the public, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Thursday.

Both entities will work together to organize a series of initiatives and activities focused on preserving Emirati heritage and culture, WAM said. This partnership reflects the commitment of both parties to instill a deeper sense of national identity in society and contribute to the preservation and promotion of heritage sports, the news agency added.

The MoU defines the roles of both parties, allowing the UAE Falcons Federation to use facilities at Dubai Culture's museums to organize a range of events, workshops, and activities aimed at introducing visitors and local community members to heritage sports and falconry competitions.

Mansoor Lootah, CEO of the Operations Support Sector at Dubai Culture/Acting Director-General of Dubai Culture, affirmed the importance of partnerships formed with heritage entities in the country, strengthening the role of the authority in motivating the public to explore the elements of Emirati heritage and culture in all its beauty and authenticity.

Lootah said: "Heritage sports are an integral part of our culture and history; they are customs passed on through several generations and still maintain an important role in the Emirati society. Dubai Culture is keen to introduce them by highlighting their artistic aspects, history, and presence in the local scene, contributing to raising awareness of the importance of heritage sports that we cherish."

"Falconry, as a traditional and heritage sport, is closely tied to our culture, history, and national identity. This MoU represents an opportunity to continue introducing this sport, its details, and practices, especially in light of the increasing interest of the younger generation in various technological advancements,” said Secretary-General of the UAE Falcons Federation Rashid bin Markhan.

“This amplifies our responsibility to create innovative solutions and initiatives to instill the importance of heritage sports and their noble values in the hearts of future generations. It also aligns with our joint strategic goals to promote the culture of falconry and familiarize people with its principles."

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Culture

Jeddah's Red Sea Museum Announces Ramadan Program 

The Red Sea Museum. (Red Sea Museum)
The Red Sea Museum. (Red Sea Museum)
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Jeddah's Red Sea Museum Announces Ramadan Program 

The Red Sea Museum. (Red Sea Museum)
The Red Sea Museum. (Red Sea Museum)

Jeddah's Red Sea Museum announced on Thursday a curated program of creative and cultural activities for the holy month of Ramadan, running from February 22 to March 14.

Led by local artists, artisans, and cultural practitioners, the museum's Ramadan program includes contemplative workshops, storytelling sessions, outdoor community gatherings, and musical performances that honor the spirit of reflection, creativity, and connection.

The series of engaging sessions creates space for visitors to explore traditional crafts, contemporary storytelling, and cultural heritage through hands-on experiences blending creativity and reflection.

Curated for families, artists, and visitors of all backgrounds, the program runs alongside "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea," the museum's major temporary exhibition opening on February 25, which explores how archaeological discoveries reveal centuries of trade, navigation, and human connection across the Red Sea.

In celebration of Founding Day on February 22, the "Inspirational Threads: Makkah & Madinah" contemplative embroidery workshop invites participants to engage with archival black-and-white photographs of the Red Sea, Makkah, and Madinah. Through basic embroidery techniques, participants can embellish these images with Islamic geometric and symbolic motifs, adding layers of color, texture, and meaning while reflecting on devotion, memory, and connection.

The "Radiance in Pieces: Mosaic Lantern" hands-on workshop on February 24 explores the tradition of Islamic mosaic art through the creation of illuminated lanterns inspired by Red Sea heritage. Children and families will learn how small, colorful pieces come together to form meaningful geometric designs, blending creativity, cultural heritage, and reflection.

The opening evening of "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" on February 25 features a panel discussion with archaeologists, scientists, and historians exploring the maritime heritage of the Red Sea.

The "One Big Table - Ramadan Gathering" on March 5 brings everyone together in a shared space where families, friends, and neighbors celebrate the spirit of Ramadan.

On March 7, the "From Sand to Porcelain" painting workshop invites participants to paint calligraphy on fine porcelain using natural sand collected from Jeddah to add subtle texture and depth. While learning basic porcelain painting techniques, participants will engage in a reflective, hands-on experience that encourages mindful creation, resulting in a personal keepsake that embodies devotion, place, and the spirit of Ramadan.

In the spirit of International Women's Day on March 8, the "Ramadan Spirit: Thread & Needle" hands-on punch needling workshop explores Ramadan iconography through traditional symbols, including the crescent, star, and lantern. Participants will create textured textile pieces while learning basic punch needle techniques, celebrating both the holy month and the creative contributions of women to traditional textile arts.

On March 14, the "Spirit of Ramadan and the Tale of Jabir Al-Khawatir" storytelling session for children and families explores Ramadan as a season of compassion and healing, reminding people that the spirit of the holy month lives in small acts of care and human connection.

Culture

Saudi Arabia: Ship of Tolerance Initiative Promotes Cultural Dialogue in Jeddah

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA
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Saudi Arabia: Ship of Tolerance Initiative Promotes Cultural Dialogue in Jeddah

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan. SPA

The Saudi Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the "Lenobadir" volunteer and community partnership program and the Athr Foundation, has launched the Ship of Tolerance initiative in Historic Jeddah during Ramadan.

The initiative aims to enhance shared human values through arts, and promote tolerance and coexistence among children and families. It provides an educational and cultural experience aligned with the area’s unique character as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As part of this global art project, children will create artworks that represent acceptance and dialogue.

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) will offer traditional craft workshops throughout Ramadan, linking the initiative's values with local heritage and enriching visitors' connection to the region's identity.

This effort supports cultural programs with educational and social dimensions in Historic Jeddah, activating local sites for experiences that combine art, crafts, and community participation. It aligns with the National Strategy for Culture under Saudi Vision 2030, focusing on heritage preservation and expanding culture's impact on daily life.

Culture

Oscar Contender ‘Hamnet’ Boosts Tourism at Shakespeare Heritage Sites 

A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)
A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Oscar Contender ‘Hamnet’ Boosts Tourism at Shakespeare Heritage Sites 

A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)
A view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, William Shakespeare's childhood home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Britain, February 9, 2026. (Reuters)

On a cloudy winter's day, visitors stream into what was once William Shakespeare's childhood home in Stratford-upon-Avon and the nearby Anne Hathaway's cottage, family residence of the bard's wife.

Hathaway's cottage is one of the settings for the BAFTA and Oscar best film contender "Hamnet", and the movie's success is drawing a new wave of tourists to Shakespeare sites in the town in central England.

Shakespeare's Birthplace is the house the young William once lived in and where his father worked as a glove maker, while Hathaway's cottage is where he would have visited his future wife early in their relationship.

Typically, around 250,000 visitors, from the UK, Europe, the United States, China and elsewhere, walk through the locations each year, according to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. ‌The charity looks after ‌Shakespeare heritage sites, which also include Shakespeare's New Place, the site of ‌the ⁠Stratford home where the ⁠bard died in 1616.

Visitors are flocking in this year thanks to "Hamnet", the film based on Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel, which gives a fictional account of the relationship between Shakespeare and Hathaway, also known as Agnes, and the death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet in 1596.

"Visitor numbers have increased by about 15 to 20% across all sites since the film was released back in January. I think that will only continue as we go throughout the year," Richard Patterson, chief operating officer for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said.

"They particularly want ⁠to look (at) Anne Hathaway's cottage and the specifics around how the family ‌engaged in the spaces and the landscape in and around ‌the cottage... you can see why he would have been inspired."

NEW ACCESS TO SHAKESPEARE

"Hamnet" has 11 nominations at ‌Sunday's British BAFTA awards, including best film and leading actress for Jessie Buckley, who plays Agnes. It ‌also has eight Oscar nominations, with Buckley seen as the frontrunner to win best actress.

"Hamnet" is set in Stratford-upon-Avon and London although it was not filmed in Stratford.

It sees Paul Mescal's young Shakespeare fall for Agnes while teaching Latin to pay off his father's debts. The drama, seen mainly through Agnes' eyes, focuses on their ‌life together and grief over Hamnet's death, leading Shakespeare to write "Hamlet".

"Shakespeare... is notoriously enigmatic. He writes about humanity, about feeling, about emotion, about conflict, ⁠but where do we understand ⁠who he is in that story?" said Charlotte Scott, a professor of Shakespeare studies and interim director of collections, learning and research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

"And that's driven people creative and otherwise for hundreds and hundreds of years. Where is Shakespeare's heart? And this is what the film I think has so beautifully opened up."

Little is known about how the couple met. Shakespeare was 18 and Hathaway 26 when they married in 1582. Daughter Susanna arrived in 1583 and twins Judith and Hamnet in 1585.

The film acknowledges the names Hamnet and Hamlet were interchangeable back then. While grief is a dominant theme, audiences also see Shakespeare in love and as a father.

"A lot of people will see this film not necessarily having... had any kind of relationship with Shakespeare," Scott said.

"So people will come to this film, I hope, and find a new way of accessing Shakespeare that is about creativity, that is about understanding storytelling as a constant process of regeneration, but also crucially, looking at it from that kind of emotive angle."