Interesting Documentary / Interview (Aqeel The VHS Collector)

I stumbled upon an interesting documentary titled "Aqeel the VHS Collector"; you can read a little about the background of the video here. Well worth a watch.

Aqeel The VHS Collector from Moath on Vimeo.

“Dubai Culture” unveiled as the new brand identity of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority

Join the Facebook group of Dubai Culture

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority announced today that it has been transformed into - Dubai Culture -, a new brand identity that will elevate and project the cultural scene of Dubai.

This announcement has coincided with the transfer of all the Dubai heritage sites such as the Dubai Museum, the Shindaga Heritage Area, the Union House, Al Bastakiya, the old souks, Hatta Heritage Village and many others, under the umbrella of Dubai Culture. This reinforces the Authority’s role to promote and preserve the rich culture and heritage of Dubai as well as educate the Emiratis, residents and visitors on the boundless creativity of this city.

Dubai Culture will continue to operate as an Authority with the strategic vision to position Dubai as an Arabian, vibrant and global city that shapes 21st century culture and arts in the region and the world, and the mission to actively support and drive Dubai's development as a dynamic culture, heritage and arts centre by creating an environment that facilitates and inspires cultural activity. The Authority’s mandates are in line with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 which makes it responsible for enriching Dubai’s cultural environment by:

•Improving the governance of the cultural sector
•Upgrading the regulatory framework for cultural organizations
•Developing the physical infrastructure to promote cultural activities
•Increasing awareness and interest in cultural activities
•Identifying and nurturing talent, and
•Focusing on availability of quality cultural activities

“It was exactly one year ago when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, instructed the creation of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. It was established to fulfill His Highness’s vision, set out in the Dubai Strategy 2015, to build upon Dubai’s status as a world-renowned multicultural city and contribute to culture and arts renaissance in the region and the world,” stated Dr. Omar bin Sulaiman, Managing Director of Dubai Culture .

He pointed that “Since then, our initiatives have successfully achieved several milestones in terms of increasing substantially of the artistic and cultural activities and environment in Dubai. But most importantly, we have been able to enhance the culture of arts and expand awareness – this has been our most critical achievement in the past one year.”

“Now, as we are poised to embark upon the future, we need to transform ourselves with the changing demands of the times and become even more dynamic, synergetic and versatile. We believe that our new identity – Dubai Culture – will express our progressive strategy, expanded responsibilities, and vision which is imbued with the Dubai Spirit. The Arab World is witnessing a renaissance and I am sure that Dubai will continue to play a pivotal role in not only prolonging, but leading and sustaining, this rebirth,” Dr. Omar added.Dr. Omar bin Sulaiman pointed out that the Authority, under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture, will build on the city’s rich culture and vibrant arts scene and simultaneously strive to promote and nurture Emirati talent to drive the Arab cultural renaissance and position Dubai amongst the leading cultural cities of the globe.

“Armed with our new identity and our strategic direction, Dubai Culture will create an ideal environment – physically, culturally while continuously increasing awareness of Dubai’s thriving cultural scene, wherein we are sure to achieve the expectations of our leadership, ” Dr. Omar added.

Book Review

Emaar Properties is commissioning a book about the Burj Dubai. It will not just be any book. Oh no - this being Dubai, it will be of course the largest book in the world.

Someone ought to tell Emaar that it is usually not the size of the book that matters, but what’s in it. Quantity is very rarely preferable to quality. This holds true for property development even if there is severe shortage of housing, but especially when it comes to literature.
A large cover doesn’t make a book automatically interesting to people over the age of three. But then again, the mindset of many people in Dubai may be about that level. And to advertise this feat of Dubai’s intellectual prowess, the big book will be sent around the world. This gives a new meaning to the term ‘book tour’...

I am looking forward to the day when Dubai can send a national author on a worldwide book tour. Just one author of some standing, please. Just one teeny weeny cultural achievement, please. One little drama about foreign labourers and their shattered dreams perhaps? 'Sonapurdog millionaire'? Just one painting or sculpture of value, or, forcryingoutloud even a conceptual art installation to capture the country and times we are living in. Pickled Camel anyone?

I am not asking for Dubai to instantly produce the equivalent to Khalil Gibran or Naguib Mahfouz or Orhan Pamuk (who, through their writing, are directly responsible for interesting me and many other Westerners in the Oriental world, and indirectly for my ill-guided attempt to find it in Dubai).

Perhaps a society must travel through a thousand years to produce artists of this calibre. But, Dubai, why not make a start today? Why not foster culture and the arts instead of getting the 'largest book in the world' made - in England, by English craftsmen, about a building designed by Americans and built by Belgians and Koreans.

It seems Dubai cannot even physically make a book, let alone create literature...