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Culture Summit Abu Dhabi Announces New Theme

The summit will examine opportunities to renew the cultural and creative industries in a post-COVID environment and explore how the creative economy can be a positive force for societies and economies - WAM
The summit will examine opportunities to renew the cultural and creative industries in a post-COVID environment and explore how the creative economy can be a positive force for societies and economies - WAM
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Culture Summit Abu Dhabi Announces New Theme

The summit will examine opportunities to renew the cultural and creative industries in a post-COVID environment and explore how the creative economy can be a positive force for societies and economies - WAM
The summit will examine opportunities to renew the cultural and creative industries in a post-COVID environment and explore how the creative economy can be a positive force for societies and economies - WAM

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that the next edition of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, a global forum which explores creative cultural solutions to the most pressing issues affecting the world today, will take place virtually from 8th to 10th March, and explore the theme of ‘The Cultural Economy and the Economy of Culture’.

The fourth edition of the forum will bring together cultural leaders, practitioners and experts from the fields of art, heritage, museums, media and technology to generate new strategies and thinking, and identify ways in which culture can transform societies and communities worldwide, state news agency (WAM) reported.

"The global challenges of the past year have truly demonstrated the vital power of culture to improve our personal and collective wellbeing. Yet, cultural institutions worldwide continue to struggle to achieve funding structures to continue operating. It is now more important than ever to shed light on the critical role that the culture sector plays as an essential driver of sustainable economic and social development," said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi.

"We are proud to collaborate with top global cultural partners to convene renowned professionals from a variety of fields, ensuring the level and breadth of expertise needed for fruitful discussions and effective, goal-oriented outcomes." he noted.

"This year’s theme strongly reflects the focus on culture and creative industries as a major driver of growth."

For his part, Saood Al Hosani, Under-Secretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said the Culture Summit’s annual convening of world-class experts and professionals from interrelated fields consistently puts forward innovative solutions in response to critical cultural and economic issues.

"Following a year of truly unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we look forward to the dialogue and innovations sparked by our esteemed global partners and participants at the event’s virtual fourth edition, as we discuss ways to support the continuity of the cultural sector, both locally and worldwide."

The summit will examine opportunities to renew the cultural and creative industries in a post-COVID environment and explore how the creative economy can be a positive force for societies and economies.

Existing partners include UNESCO, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, the Economist Events, and Google.

New partners for 2021 include the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Design Museum London, and the participation of UAE institutions such as Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Berklee Abu Dhabi, Institut Français, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, twofour54, and Abu Dhabi Film Commission.

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Varieties

Libya Farmer Breaks New Ground with Outlier Date Variety

A worker arranges a box of Mejhoul dates harvested from palm trees at fields of the Akmam Al Nakhil company, in the coastal city of Misrata, east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on September 28, 2024. (AFP)
A worker arranges a box of Mejhoul dates harvested from palm trees at fields of the Akmam Al Nakhil company, in the coastal city of Misrata, east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on September 28, 2024. (AFP)
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Libya Farmer Breaks New Ground with Outlier Date Variety

A worker arranges a box of Mejhoul dates harvested from palm trees at fields of the Akmam Al Nakhil company, in the coastal city of Misrata, east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on September 28, 2024. (AFP)
A worker arranges a box of Mejhoul dates harvested from palm trees at fields of the Akmam Al Nakhil company, in the coastal city of Misrata, east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on September 28, 2024. (AFP)

In the Libyan countryside, farmer Ismail Ben Saoud has launched an agricultural experiment, banking on Mejhoul dates -- a premium variety cherished across the Arab world but untested in such a humid coastal climate.

Ben Saoud's five-hectare (12-acre) farm in Misrata, western Libya, stands out in the landscape that is dotted by olive and citrus trees.

Eight years after taking the leap, he says his 700 palm trees now produce high-quality Mejhoul dates which he hopes will reach international markets soon.

"People have claimed that these palms couldn't survive here, especially near the sea," said Ben Saoud, 42.

"But with persistence and careful experimentation, we are proving them wrong."

Mejhoul dates, native to Morocco's semi-arid regions, are famed for their large size, tender texture and rich sweetness.

Traditionally thought unsuitable for Mediterranean climates, the variety has exceeded Ben Saoud's expectations.

Using organic fertilizers and refining techniques over time, Ben Saoud now anticipates reaching full production capacity in just two years.

"The harvest has been very satisfactory," he said about this year's output.

"Another year or two and it will be optimal. We improve from year to year."

For Libyans and others across the Arab world, dates are a treasured food.

A staple sweet during festivities, they hold cultural as well as religious value, traditionally eaten to break the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Mejhoul dates go for up to 80 Libyan dinars (around $16) per kilogram in local markets, far more than the price tag attached to other varieties, as low as six and up to 20 dinars.

But for many customers, Mejhoul prices match their quality, with an unwavering demand among Libyans preferring locally produced goods.

- 'Growing interest' -

The country has faced a host of woes since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising overthrew and killed longtime ruler Moammar al-Gaddafi, plunging Libya into instability and conflict.

Even before that, decades of near-exclusive reliance on oil revenue left many of Libya's sectors underdeveloped.

But many have been striving to bring around Libyan agriculture.

In Misrata, a major port city and commercial hub about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the capital Tripoli, supermarkets are stocked with a variety of date products.

They run the gamut from molasses and pastes used in traditional pastries like makroudhs, to novel concoctions such as stuffed dates smothered in chocolate.

"The quality of Libyan dates has improved noticeably since the 2011 war," said Najwa, an Egyptian nurse on vacation, shopping for her favorite varieties.

"There's more care put into growing and preparing them now."

Salah Shagan, a Libyan agriculture expert, said that "more Libyans are turning to farming in recent years", with a "growing interest" in olives, vegetables and dates.

"These efforts not only bring income, but also revive our connection to the land."

Libya now has over 10 million date palms, producing more than 50,000 tons of fruit annually, according to the agriculture ministry.

Much of this production satisfies local demand, but farmers also aim to make it to international markets.

For Ben Saoud, exporting Mejhoul is his next major bet.

"Our local demand is already strong, so we must ensure we can meet that before expanding further," he said, walking through his orchard with his two young daughters, their mouths full of fresh dates.