Abu dhabi: The Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries 2025, organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), commenced today at Etihad Arena, Yas Island, under the theme ''Arabic Creativity Reimagined: Innovation in Storytelling and Audience Engagement''. The opening ceremony was attended by Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi; Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre; along with a gathering of Arab and foreign officials, innovators, and decision-makers in the culture, technology, and media sectors.
According to Emirates News Agency, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak emphasized in his keynote address the significant role cultural and creative industries play in the global economy, with an estimated annual value exceeding US$2.3 trillion. This sector contributes around 3% of global GDP, acting as a driver of growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development. He highlighted the growing global interest in cultural diversity and the learning experiences of different peoples, which opens opportunities for Arab creativity to gain international recognition and attract new investments.
Al Mubarak outlined Abu Dhabi's vision to become a regional and global hub supporting this transformation, beginning with the Cultural District on Saadiyat Island. This district serves as a bridge connecting various cultures worldwide and as a platform for institutions that embody cultural and creative diversity. He mentioned that Abu Dhabi is also launching pioneering programs and initiatives aimed at supporting cultural and creative industries in a manner that reflects local cultural values while engaging with the global narrative.
In this regard, Al Mubarak valued the partnership between the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and Amazon Alexa, which aims to create the world's largest digital library of Arabic content. This initiative, spearheaded by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, will provide thousands of Arabic books-printed, electronic, and audio-by combining Abu Dhabi's publishing expertise with Amazon's distribution technologies. The objective is to share Arab culture with millions of readers globally.
He explained that this initiative represents a significant advancement in making Arabic literature more accessible in the digital space, offering Arab creators opportunities to reach a broad and multicultural audience. This effort reaffirms Abu Dhabi's position as a global platform for launching authentic Arab narratives into the future. Al Mubarak concluded by expressing pride in Abu Dhabi's cultural identity and heritage while building bridges of creativity through diversity and human connection.
The Congress program includes a series of panel discussions and innovative dialogues covering topics such as the power of personal storytelling in the age of artificial intelligence, the importance of authenticity, diversity, and historical context amid technological changes, the role of women in reshaping creative narratives, and opportunities for the growth of the Arabic audiobook market during the global boom in audiobooks. These discussions will feature leading experts in the creative economy, technology pioneers, content creators, and business leaders across the cultural and creative industries.
The event will also present new reports on the Arab creative industries and their economic impact through 2030, offering decision-makers and investors actionable insights and innovative investment opportunities.