Artists and athletes gather in UAE for festival of unity

Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, inaugurated the Global Encounters Festival 2025 on July 21. To run till July 27, it is a gathering of more than 4,000 young artists and athletes from over 50 countries, uniting in the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and shared humanity. The opening ceremony, held at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), was attended by distinguished dignitaries, including Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Prince Aly Mohammed Aga Khan, alongside over 25,000 visitors from around the world.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, the Global Encounters Festival 2025 takes place across multiple venues in Dubai, featuring a programme of art showcases, sports competitions, concerts, exhibitions, and immersive cultural experiences. In his keynote address, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan said: “I am pleased to express our country’s great pleasure in welcoming so many festival participants from around the world. I am especially pleased to warmly greet and welcome His Highness Prince Aly Mohammed Aga Khan and His Highness Prince Amyn Mohammed Aga Khan. Their respected worldview, and their strong commitment to preserving our Islamic heritage and traditions, are well known. Their presence will certainly enrich this festival.”

He added: “You have assembled in Dubai under our country’s welcoming Arab tent that has sheltered a peaceful and innovative population at this global crossroads. This city and this country are showing the world that people from different nations, different ethnicities, different religions, and different cultures can live and work together in peace and harmony, in an environment marked by understanding, respect, and shared values.” Sheikh Nahyan emphasised the UAE’s national ethos of coexistence and the role of arts and sports in building bridges across cultures. “Under the wise leadership of His Highness the President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the visionary guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” he said, “we in the UAE cherish the bridges that sports and the arts build between peoples and nations.”

Reflecting on his past attendance at the Jubilee Games 2016, he said that he was glad to see how much the festival had grown.The Festival reflects long-standing engagement between the Ismaili community, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Gulf region through collaboration with public and private institutions. In a recorded video message, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan expressed his thanks to the government of the United Arab Emirates for welcoming his community to the city of Dubai, and for the long-standing partnership between the UAE and Ismaili Imamat. He said: “To fulfil our potential as creatives or athletes is to realise a blessing. Sport and arts are not only beautiful, they have the unique power to build bridges.”

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, said that “hosting the Global Encounters Festival aligns with Dubai’s wider economic agenda, reinforcing our role as a global platform for innovation, cultural exchange, and human capital development.” Mahir Julfar, EVP of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) said: “With over 25,000 visitors expected, DWTC is well-positioned to deliver a world-class experience that matches the ambition and energy of this remarkable youth-led gathering.”

“The Global Encounters Festival exemplifies the spirit of unity, service and excellence that the Ismaili community aspires to worldwide,” said Malik Talib, Chair of the Ismaili Leaders’ International Forum (LIF). The Festival also aims to empower the next generation of changemakers by nurturing artists, athletes and civic leaders, who not only pursue excellence, but also drive social impact, climate action, and intercultural understanding.

Celebrating diversity across more than 200 nationalities, the Festival aligns with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025, promoting inclusion, sustainability and innovation as universal values. From electric rideshares to zero-waste venues and a global tree-planting campaign, sustainability is a cornerstone of the Festival. Thousands of participants are supporting the Roots for Change initiative, pledging to plant 1 million trees globally in alignment with Net Zero 2030 goals.