Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The seventh edition of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, a global platform exploring the intersection between culture, technology, and global governance, is witnessing wide participation of thought leaders, policymakers, celebrated artists, and creative innovators from across the world.
Held at Abu Dhabi's cultural hotspot Manarat Al Saadiyat under the theme "Culture for Humanity and Beyond", the event aims to foster novel approaches on reimagining tomorrow.
Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the summit runs until Tuesday.
Speaking to Aletihad, speakers highlighted the emerging trends in the cultural landscape, especially the rise of artificial intelligence, and Abu Dhabi's role as global cultural hub.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture of India, said discussions centred around the growing impact of artificial intelligence, where participants expressed their concerns while also welcoming the accompanying opportunities, and the important role of culture in fostering global peace.
"Culture is the only thing which can resolve geopolitical gaps, bring us closer together, and establish peace," Shekhawat told Aletihad.
Regarding India's participation, Shekhawat said: "India has been a member of the G20 cultural group and the UNESCO cultural team for many years. Since their inception, we have been part of them. And India, being such a diverse country - with its many cultures, crafts, cuisines, music, and all possible verticals - has a lot to contribute."
Glenn Lowry, Director of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), highlighted the role of AI in the museum sector.
"I'm going to talk about artificial intelligence in the museum space. I'm interested in the way museums are places of imagination - not just of objects or architecture," he said.
"I want to show how AI can be a partner in the creation of art, not a problem," he added.
Underscoring the importance of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, he noted that the event offers “an incredible opportunity to bring people together to think out loud and exchange ideas".
"We need to remember to talk and learn from each other. Art and culture are among the most powerful ways to share ideas."
"Abu Dhabi is an amazing place that brings people from all over the world together in an atmosphere grounded in culture. This is a place of rich global conversation."
Kinan Azmeh, a composer, who is attending the summit for the first time, valued Abu Dhabi's efforts to bring global cultures together.
For Azmeh, music is a tool to communicate and build understanding between people.
"Investing in culture is maybe the best human investment. Scientific advances are great, but they stand short without human expression," he added.
Prof. Iyad Rahwan, director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, praised Abu Dhabi's role as a major player both in artificial intelligence and cultural curation.
"It is ideally positioned where technology and culture can coalesce - from music to visual arts," he said.
"Abu Dhabi also shows how tradition and modernity can be reconciled. Tradition gives strength as we move forward, and you can feel that walking among its cultural institutions," he added.
Moving to the role of emerging tech, he described AI as "a cultural technology first before anything else".
"We used to preserve culture orally, then through writing and printing. Artificial intelligence is a monumental new technology that changes preservation - it can capture how a person speaks, paints, or writes poetry."
Rowdha Alsayegh, creative director and storyteller, said the event's focus on humanity shows that, even with AI's rise, "culture is about human essence, not just technology".
