The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced the key panels and sessions for the seventh edition of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit , the leading global forum taking place from April 27-29, 2025, at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
This year’s Summit, under the theme ” Culture for Humanity and Beyond ,” will bring together global thought leaders, policymakers, renowned artists, and creative innovators to explore the intersection of culture, technology, and global governance.
The three-day Summit will foster critical dialogue focused on the collective reconsideration of human emancipation and humanism through keynote presentations, creative conversations, panel discussions, artist talks, and a series of tailored workshops. Participants will seek common ground to build a shared, sustainable future. New perspectives will emerge to reimagine the future as old ways of thinking become obsolete.
Experts set to discuss creativity and policy at Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman—DCT Abu Dhabi, commented: “DCT Abu Dhabi is proud to once again bring together our local and international partners, from across culture, design, technology and more, for the seventh edition of the Abu Dhabi Culture Summit to continue to build on the progress made in identifying how culture can drive positive change. Within the framework of the Saadiyat Cultural District, we explored together the theme ‘Culture for Humanity and Beyond’, seeking fresh perspectives on the power of creative and artistic endeavors in a time of unprecedented technological change.”
Rita Aoun , Executive Director of Culture Sector – DCT Abu Dhabi , commented: “The Abu Dhabi Culture Summitbrings together cultural leaders, policymakers and creative visionaries to engage in crucial discussions that define the future of cultural policy and the creative industries. The theme ‘Culture for Humanity and Beyond’ reflects the mandate of DCT’s Cultural Sector, which not only preserves and promotes culture, but also actively harnesses its potential to drive progress, foster understanding and create new possibilities for the future. As part of the sector’s role in developing a thriving cultural and creative ecosystem, we are committed to creating platforms that translate dialogue into action, strengthen cultural exchange and support sustainable growth in the region and beyond.”
The Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit will feature a wide range of sessions over three days.
This includes keynote addresses from Mo Gawdat , author and former Chief Business Officer of Google X; Susan Buck-Morss , philosopher and scholar; Professor Iyad Rahwan , Director of Machine Learning at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development; Sir William Sargent , President of Framestore; Glenn D. Lowry , Director of the David Rockefeller Exhibition at MoMA; and Koyo Kouoh , CEO and Chief Curator of Zeitz MOCAA.
There will also be an exceptional Creative Conversations series featuring engaging discussions with award-winning creatives including Thomas Heatherwick , designer; Colleen Atwood , costume designer; Refik Anadol , visual artist; Ralph Nauta , artist; Ayoung Kim , visual artist; as well as in-depth conversations between philanthropist Maja Hoffmann and architect Hashim Sarkis ; and Sir John Akomfrah , film director, with writer-director Awan Amkpa ; Thebe Magugu, designer; and Mariam Issoufou , architect.
A series of sessions will discuss the growing influence of AI on creativity and the digital world. These include ‘AI Revolution: Redefining Creativity in the Machine Age’; ‘The Rise of AI in the Creative Industries’; ‘Should Governments Regulate AI to Compensate the Creative Industries?’; ‘The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Film’; ‘The Ownership Dilemma: Safeguarding Music in a Digital World’; ‘Tuning into the Future: Music, AI, and Learning’; and ‘Avatar Transmission: From Oral to Digital Knowledge’.
Attendees will also enjoy sessions exploring culture as a force for good. Topics to be covered include “Going Green: What Happens When Cultural Leaders Act for the Planet”; “Culture as a Public Good: From Policy to Action”; and “A Moving Horizon: Cultural Anticipation. Planetary Affect. Sharing the World.”
On the opening day, a panel discussion will be held on “Bridging the Cultural Divide: The Role of Culture in Shaping Global Governance,” within the framework of the day’s sub-theme: ” Restructuring the Cultural Landscape .” Speakers include Jenny Shipley , former Prime Minister of New Zealand; Iveta Radičová, former Prime Minister of Slovakia; and Cassam Uteem, former President of Mauritius. The panel discussion will discuss the importance of including culture in multilateral processes and strategies for integrating cultural dimensions into UN-related frameworks, in view of major cultural events such as MONDIACULT 2025.
Following the success of the first MONDIACULT Ministerial Dialogue, held at the Culture Summit last year, the Summit will host the second edition of the “MONDIACULT Ministerial Dialogue | The Culture of Humanity in the Digital Age,” a two-part discussion focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence on culture and human creativity, and on culture and peace for a sustainable future, respectively, bringing together more than ten ministers of culture from around the world. Another key Summit session on cultural policy is the panel discussion on “Advancing the Objectives of the UNESCO Framework for Cultural and Artistic Education,” centered on the day’s sub-theme: New Frameworks for Redefining Culture for Humanity and Beyond . This roundtable follows the ‘World Conference on Cultural and Arts Education,’ an international gathering organized by DCT Abu Dhabi and UNESCO from February 13 to 15 last year, which brought together more than 190 ministers of education and culture from around the world to discuss a global framework for cultural and arts education.
The program is further enriched by other key sessions, including ‘A Conversation: On Jazz, Humanity and Beyond’ with Herbie Hancock , pioneering jazz musician and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, and John Ridding, jazz enthusiast, journalist and CEO of the Financial Times; ‘Creative Expression in Times of Disruption’, moderated by Mina Al-Oraibi , Editor-in-Chief of The National, with speakers including Dubai Opera Director Paolo Petrocelli and award-winning designer Lama Hourani; and a panel co-organized with the UAE Ministry of Culture on ‘From Ruins to Resilience: A New Era of Heritage Rehabilitation’. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discover the creative practices of numerous renowned artists in an exceptional series of Creative Talks, including Wael Al Awar , architect; Abdalla Almulla , architect; Alia AlShamsi, poet and artist; Omar Al Gurg , designer; Lawrence Abu Hamdan , artist; Yolanda Castaño, writer; and Andrea Cote , writer, among others.
Global sponsors of the event include UNESCO, The Economist Impact, the Design Museum, Google, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, and the Recording Academy. Additional partners are Image Nation Abu Dhabi, International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA), Cultural Foundation, The National, Club de Madrid , Abrahamic Family House, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Berklee Abu Dhabi, Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), Institut Français, Institut du Monde Arabe, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington , Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, TeamLab, Maktaba, House of Artisans, and Herbie Hancock Jazz Institute.
Several key partners expressed their views on the upcoming Summit.
Ernesto Ottone R. , UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, said: “From heritage to creativity, culture is an expression of humanity that connects us across time. This year’s theme challenges us to examine how technology has transformed this age-old relationship. UNESCO urges participants to harness the power of culture to build a sustainable, human-centred future.”
Tim Marlow , Director and CEO, The Design Museum, London, commented: “The Design Museum is delighted to be part of the Culture Summit and this year will be hosting a series of talks and discussions focusing on designing a future that is more than human.”
Nacho Floristan, Director of Generative AI Solutions Architecture, EMEA/APAC, Google, said : “We’re excited to participate in the Culture Summit 2025, to reflect on how genAI is transforming our society and how we discover, leverage, and create culture in the future.”
Harvey Mason Jr. , CEO of the Recording Academy, added: “Culture has the power to unite, inspire and propel humanity forward. At the 2025 Culture Summit, we’re excited to explore how music and creativity are shaping our future: amplifying voices, fostering innovation and connecting people across borders and generations.”
Panos A. Panay , President, Recording Academy, said: “As we gather for the 2025 Culture Summit, we find ourselves at a fascinating intersection where culture and humanity meet unprecedented technological disruption. I’m excited to explore how music and the arts are evolving beyond traditional boundaries, becoming powerful catalysts shaping our future, while deepening our connection to what makes us human in this ever-changing world.”
Dr. Mariët Westermann , Director and CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, commented: “The Guggenheim has always been an incubator of the future, providing a platform for artists and catalyzing conversations to explore today’s important issues. We are delighted to return to the Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit and to focus our creative imagination this year on how art, AI, and other generative technologies are shaping new frontiers of cultural expression and production.”
Kenneth Cukier , deputy executive editor of The Economist, commented: “As AI takes over the world, celebrating culture is vital: an expression of our human values and our shared destiny. Economist Impact is proud to be part of the program at the annual Abu Dhabi Culture Summit , which celebrates the power of storytelling to shape our identities, for progress and purpose.”
The Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit is an annual global forum that brings together international leaders from the cultural and creative industries to explore how culture can transform societies and communities around the world. The forum reflects DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to preserving, protecting, and promoting Abu Dhabi ‘s rich cultural heritage , while fostering creativity and innovation to build a more inclusive and sustainable global cultural future.