Dubai to Host MENA's 1st World Cities Culture Summit

Dubai Culture has announced that this year's forum carries the theme “Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape our World?” WAM
Dubai Culture has announced that this year's forum carries the theme “Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape our World?” WAM
TT

Dubai to Host MENA's 1st World Cities Culture Summit

Dubai Culture has announced that this year's forum carries the theme “Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape our World?” WAM
Dubai Culture has announced that this year's forum carries the theme “Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape our World?” WAM

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced that the World Cities Culture Summit 2024 is set to take place from October 30 to November 1, under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture.

Dubai Culture has announced that this year's forum carries the theme “Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape our World?”, inspired by global cities' efforts to engage youth and future generations in reshaping urban life through innovative solutions that contribute to a cultural legacy for the future, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

The summit’s discussions will spotlight the efforts of participating cities to support the creative economy, invest in cultural and creative industries, and nurture talent, providing opportunities for the next generation to contribute to the cultural future of cities. The summit will also provide cultural and creative city leaders with a vast platform to exchange ideas and knowledge, exploring the role of culture in shaping sustainable future cities.

The summit’s global agenda, with its opening ceremony to be held at the Al Shindagha Museum, the UAE’s largest open-air heritage museum, will feature a number of closed sessions discussing the role of youth in global cultural policies, models for funding cultural projects, the role of artificial intelligence in cultural policymaking, the contribution of creative districts to urban innovation, the integration of culture in healthcare, and leveraging culture to address climate issues, WAM said.

Additionally, the summit will showcase strategies developed by cities worldwide to empower the next generation to develop skills and utilize advanced technology to face future challenges. Dubai Culture will also offer one public session discussing how cities, the next generation, and cultural professionals need to thrive in a digital, global, and rapidly changing world.

Several international speakers are scheduled to participate in the Ideas for Tomorrow sessions, presenting their visions for the future of culture. The summit will also witness the launch of the third round of the Leadership Exchange Program supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, fostering cooperation and developing exchanges between cities.



Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Scholarship Students in Manga Production Program in Japan

The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
TT

Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Scholarship Students in Manga Production Program in Japan

The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA
The Saudi Minister of Culture met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. SPA

Saudi Minister of Culture, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission (LPTC) Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, met with Saudi scholarship students in the Manga Production Foundations Program at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday.

This specialized training program, organized in collaboration between the commission and Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), aims to nurture talented manga artists through professional training rooted in Japanese techniques, the birthplace of this art form.

During the meeting, Prince Badr emphasized the Saudi leadership's unwavering support for developing human capabilities across all fields, highlighting the importance of academic and professional training in cultural disciplines.

The meeting was attended by CEO of LPTC Dr. Mohammed Hasan Alwan, CEO of Manga Productions Essam Amanullah Bukhari, and students studying manga art at Kadokawa Contents Academy (KCA), one of Japan’s leading institutions for training and recruiting talent in manga creation.

The program includes virtual workshops, an intensive training course, and overseas training in Japan. It has also launched competitions blending manga with Saudi cultural themes, such as "Munjanha," which transforms Arabic proverbs into manga stories; "Manga Al-Qaseed," which adapts Arabic poems into manga; and "Manga Al-Ibil," which celebrates the cultural symbolism of camels in Saudi Arabia.

The program has benefited over 1,850 participants through virtual workshops, with 115 advancing to the intensive training phase, resulting in the creation of 115 manga stories. Among these, 21 students were sent to Japan for advanced training. The competitions garnered significant engagement, receiving 133 submissions for "Munjanha," over 70 for "Manga Al-Qaseed," and more than 50 for "Manga Al-Ibil."