Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), and coinciding with the World Government Summit in Dubai, Dubai Municipality, in its capacity as Chair of the Executive Committee of Dubai Creative City of Design within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network; organised dialogue sessions titled “Developing Design in Global Cities.”

The sessions were held aimed at discussing and exchanging views on creating vibrant sustainable communities that can attract the best talents and drive economic growth, while improving the quality of life and fostering creativity and cultural expression.

The sessions were attended by Dawoud Al Hajri, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, and a number of members of the Executive Committee of Dubai Creative City for Design, internationally renowned artists, designers and architects, in addition to a group of professionals working in the field of design, along with the participation of representatives from the emirate to imagine, design and collective build.

Al Hajri said, “The discussions and sessions related to charting the path of design development in creative global cities are of great importance and an opportunity to gather representatives from cities to discuss the most prominent future trends and challenges, and are among the main pillars for reaching a complete future vision of the design and creativity sector starting from the emirate of Dubai. This is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to strengthen Dubai's position globally and make it the creative economy hub.

The dialogue sessions were aimed to highlight national, regional and international efforts, in cooperation with UNESCO, to recognise creativity as one of the components of the Sustainable Development Goals, and to shed light on initiatives, best practices, measures and policies that enhance the role of design in cities.

The sessions dealt with the concept of design development in global cities, which refers to the concept of promoting and supporting the growth and development of design-related industries, initiatives and infrastructure in urban areas around the world.

The event also discussed investing in design education, supporting local design businesses and start-ups, creating design-focused facilities and spaces, and how to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration between designers and other creatives.

The sessions, moderated by Hani Al Asfour, Dean of Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, were attended by Ahmed Bukhash, architect and owner of ARCH IDENTITY, Kholoud Al Khoury, Director of Projects and Events Management at Dubai Culture, who will bring her expertise in the cultural and creative industries to the discussion.

The emirate of Dubai established the Executive Committee to initiate Dubai's membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, led by Dubai Municipality, which includes members from various entities, including the Ministry of Culture and Youth, General Secretariat of the Executive Council, Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Government Media Office (Brand Dubai), Dubai Culture, Dubai Design District, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, Dubai Development Authority, and the Community Development Authority, in order to enhance the sustainability of Dubai's membership in the network and to effectively transform the leadership's vision into reality.

Dubai has succeeded in accomplishing major achievements within the design sector in the city, most notably the establishment of the Dubai Design District (D3), in the heart of Dubai, as a centre dedicated to design and innovation, which includes studios, workshops, exhibitions and exhibition spaces for designers and creators, which attracted a group of local and international design companies.

It also announced the long-term cultural visa for a period of 10 years, the first of its kind in the world, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid with the aim of positioning Dubai as a global centre for culture and an incubator for creativity, as well as a flourishing centre for creative talents in the fields of literature, culture, arts, heritage, history, cognitive studies, and creative industries.

The emirate annually hosts Dubai Design Week, which aims to promote excellence in design in the region, by bringing together the best designers from all over the world, and includes exhibitions, installations and workshops from all over the emirate.

In addition, the Al Quoz Creative Zone project was launched as a center for the creative talents of artists and designers, by transforming a selected area in Al Quoz into a creative zone, providing many services, features and facilities for them, and providing multi-purpose spaces, such as hosting art workshops, and providing a smart online rental platform would enable companies to offer rental premises to creative professionals at reasonable rates.

The emirate of Dubai also launched the Neighbourhood Park Design initiative, which aims to redesign Dubai parks with the participation of Emirati creators and creative ideas in the field of design, with the aim of enhancing community responsibility, ensuring a healthy and sustainable life, and improving the general urban appearance of the city, which represents a suitable climate for creators and their favourite destination in the world.