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Dubai to Grant Cultural Visas to 1,000 Creators, Artists

Dubai seeks to draw writers and artists as part of the emirate's project to stimulate the cultural economy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Dubai seeks to draw writers and artists as part of the emirate's project to stimulate the cultural economy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Dubai to Grant Cultural Visas to 1,000 Creators, Artists

Dubai seeks to draw writers and artists as part of the emirate's project to stimulate the cultural economy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Dubai seeks to draw writers and artists as part of the emirate's project to stimulate the cultural economy (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority announced that it will grant cultural visas to 1,000 creators and artists from across the world in the upcoming phase.

The cultural visa was launched in 2019 by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The long-term cultural visa is granted for 10 years to accomplished creative talent in different fields in the hope of making Dubai a global hub for culture and creativity.

The Authority reported that it received 261 application from 46 countries.

A total of 120 applicants have met the required and optional criteria. A majority of these applicants have been issued visas while the remaining are currently under process.

“Dubai provides a stimulating and supportive environment for creativity and creators. The decision to grant intellectuals, creators and talented individuals a cultural visa enhances the emirate’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, a thriving hub for talent, and a preferred cultural destination," said Hala Badri, the Director-General of Dubai Culture.

"Dubai’s contributions have helped raise the UAE’s position in the global cultural landscape by attracting exceptional writers, artists and creators," she added.

The long-term cultural visa is granted for 10 years to accomplished creative talent in the fields of literature, culture, fine arts, performing arts, and design, and those in the heritage, history and knowledge-related sectors as well as intellectual and creative industries.

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Peru Fisherman Lost for 95 Days in Pacific Ocean Returns Home

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, reunites with his brother after being rescued in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screengrab taken from handout video. (La Republica/Handout via Reuters)
Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, reunites with his brother after being rescued in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screengrab taken from handout video. (La Republica/Handout via Reuters)
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Peru Fisherman Lost for 95 Days in Pacific Ocean Returns Home

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, reunites with his brother after being rescued in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screengrab taken from handout video. (La Republica/Handout via Reuters)
Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa, who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by an Ecuadorian fishing patrol, reunites with his brother after being rescued in Paita, Peru March 14, 2025 in this screengrab taken from handout video. (La Republica/Handout via Reuters)

A Peruvian fisherman who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean, eating roaches, birds and sea turtles to survive, is returning home to his family.

Maximo Napa had set off for a fishing trip from Marcona, a town on the southern Peruvian coast, on December 7. He packed food for a two-week trip but ten days in, stormy weather threw his boat off course and he ended up adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

His family launched a search, but Peru's maritime patrols were unable to locate him until Wednesday, when an Ecuadorian fishing patrol discovered him some 680 miles (1,094 km) off the country's coast, heavily dehydrated and in critical condition.

"I did not want to die," Napa told Reuters after reuniting with his brother, in Paita, near the border with Ecuador. "I ate roaches, birds, the last thing I ate was turtles."

He said he stayed strong thinking about his family, including his two-month-old granddaughter, even as he survived on rainwater he collected on the boat and ran out of food, ultimately spending the last 15 days without eating.

"I thought about my mother everyday," he said. "I'm thankful to God for giving me a second chance.

His mother, Elena Castro, told local media that while her relatives had stayed optimistic, she had begun to lose hope.

"I told the Lord, whether he's alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if it's just to see him," she told TV Peru. "But my daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: Mom, he'll come back, he'll come back."

Napa was scheduled for more medical checks in Paita before heading south to Lima.