UAE, UK discuss cultural ties
During her remote meeting with Caroline Dinenage, Minister of State for Digital and Culture, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports of the United Kingdom, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, highlighted the bilateral ties between the UAE and the UK and ways of reinforcing their cooperation in the area of culture.
During the meeting, Al Kaabi briefed Dinenage about the experience of the UAE’s cultural sector during the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic, to ensure the continuity of cultural activities in the country.
She also briefed her about the National Creative Relief Fund, which provides financial grants to 87 creative individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, operating in the cultural and creative industries as well as the Emirates Publishers Emergency Fund.
Al Kaabi highlighted the UAE’s desire to benefit from the UK’s leading experience in supporting culture and innovation industries, noting that the UAE has established the Culture and Creative Industries Council to draft policies and legislations that will sustain the sector’s growth.
Dinenage presented the measures taken by the UK to mitigate the effects of the current health crisis on the cultural sector, including the support of the UK Treasury for companies suffering from the economic crisis and the financial assistance provided by the treasury to guarantee their future stability, noting that the Arts Council allocated ₤160 million to support cultural and creative industries.
Al Kaabi said that she is looking forward to the UK’s participation in Expo Dubai that will be held next year, where the UK’s participation will consist of a self-build country pavilion and an accompanying events and content programme under the theme ‘Innovating for a Shared Future’.
The pavilion will highlight leading British expertise in sectors including artificial intelligence and space.
