Funun Arts group, the most vibrant art organization of UAE celebrated the 52nd. UAE National Day with artists from across the globe in the seven days UAE ART AND CULTURE FESTIVAL. This art festival was designed to showcase the work of local and international artists, photographers, and sculptures to engage the community through a diverse calendar of cultural and creative programming.
This seven-day festival was hosted at seven different venues to show gratitude to seven Emirates, as UAE National Day is celebrated every year. It is national pride as all seven Emirates united forming the United Arab Emirates. It started on the 28th. November and continued till the 4th. December. Art exhibition will be there till January 24. 30 artists from 12 different nationalities participated in this mega extravaganza.
Afsheen Beig, Pakistan. Ahmed Al Awadhi, UAE, Anahita Ansaripour, Iran, Anastasia Ananieva, Ukraine , Anastasiia Brykalina, Russia, Anjini Prakash Laitu, India, Anum Anwar Ali, Pakistan, Azadeh Bakan, Iran, Bini Menon, India, Dana Dauletbay, Kazakhstan, Edcel Cabalan, Philippines, Farah Khan, India, Fatemeh Palizvan, Iran, Jivan Hovhannisyan, Armenia, Mahsa Alshayeri, Iran, Mouza Rashed Al Darmaki, UAE, Mussarat Yasmin Abid, Pakistan, Pari Sagar, India Ram Awasthi, India, Roza Akhlaghi, Iran, Rozeta Hallenbarter, Switzerland Safa Peshimam, India, Saida Banu, India, Shahrzad Tahery, Iran, Shailaja Kamat, India, Shiba Khan, India, Stefania Pomillo, Italy,
Along with the well-established artists, Funun Arts Group believes in giving equal opportunity to everyone. 3 amazing student artists from Manzil Center for special needs showcased their artworks in an ongoing exhibition. These students are Mohammad Chandra, Manzil Center, Mohammad Saleem, Manzil Center Tahsin Nawar, Manzil Center.
The seven days festival started with the heritage tour of old Dubai, where all artists experienced the beautiful art & culture of UAE. Gold Souq, spice market, Abra ride Alseef Al Fahidi and then Emirati dinner created a marvelous start of the festival.
The first art exhibition of the UAEACF “TRIBUTE TO DIVERSE CULTURES IN UAE” was opened at Artists Playgound, Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre. Children dressed in Emirati dress welcomed the guests with the UAE scarf, followed up by opening note by 7 years Azaan Mehtab Khan and 6 years Maryam Sarfraz Khan. The event was inaugurated in presence of His Excellency Yaqoob Al Ali, along with esteemed guests Sultana Farooq Kazim, Halima Al Sayegh, Asma Janahi, Nada Al Barazi, Mohammad Al Aidroos, Mohammad Ali Ahmed AL Awadhi, Peter Gressman, Tarannum Ahmed, Atul Panase and many more dignitaries.
Ms. Laura, General Manager of Pullman Creek said:” We celebrate arts at this special place ARTISTS PLAYGROUD in our hotel. By bringing together artists from different countries and backgrounds, this festival not only celebrates cultural diversity but also fosters dialogue and understanding between communities. Art has the power to transcend language and cultural barriers, acting as a universal language that can inspire empathy and promote a more cohesive society.
The third day of the festival was celebrated in Sharjah with the opening of the second art exhibition “DIVERISTY IN CULTURE” at Novotel Sharjah Expo Centre. The students from Ryal International School, dressed in Jalabiya and Kandoora, welcomed all guests. The exhibition was inaugurated in presence of honorable legendary artist Mr. Ihsan Khateeb, along with Yasmin Jasim Al Ameeri, Sandy Saksena, Muskan, Ms. Daizy Paul, and many more esteemed guests. The program started by paying tribute to the martyrs of UAE. The General Manager Mr. Robin Soloman started by his welcome note, followed by words from Shiba Khan, Founder of Funun Arts Group. The beautiful performance by the students of Ryan International School, added more colors to the festival.
Mr. Robin, GM of the Novotel Sharjah said:” The theme “CULTURAL DIVERSITY” adds an intriguing dimension to the festival, as it invites artists to explore their own personal and collective perspective, whether they are physical, emotional, or metaphorical. This theme has the potential to create meaningful connections among artists and audiences by highlighting the commonalities and shared experiences that exist across borders and cultures.
The fourth day was live painting in the heart of dessert with dune bashing in dessert safari. Funun Art Group always comes up with something unique. This was well experienced by each and every artist and attendees.
Youth are the future, and that was also brought together to be the part of UAEACF. 9 Youth delegates who represented different countries in the CLIMATE CHANGE SYMPOSIUM at COP28, Green zone. These students shared their insight about the topic. The participating students were Ammar Sajwani: UAE, Sadeen Baydoun: Lebanon, Meherab Hossain: Bangladesh, Mohd. Huzaifa Khan: Russia, AdbalRahman Tawfik: Egypt, Zayed Munir: Mauritius, Aisha Ahmed: Africa and Haniyah Saleem: Global.
The sixth day of the event was the ART AND CULTURE EXCHANGE, followed by an award ceremony. This was done in the beautiful ALRAYHAN restaurant, Sharjah equestrian club. The place was a true reflection of the nature of the UAE Art and Culture Festival. The surroundings with horses around, soft Arabic music, lights, lush greenery and pleasant weather, everything seems to come together to make the festival most beautiful. The event was started by Shiba Khan, founder of Funun Arts group. She recited the poetry by Mirza Ghalib and invited all artists to recite the poetry in their native language. This was something which really adds a cultural beauty to the festival. We experienced the poetry in Urdu, Persian, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Sindhi, English and many more. The evening was filled with live music. Each minute details were taken care off, which we experienced from the beautiful trophies, which was a clear crystal with golden falcon, and certificate jacket of wood with the UAE emblem engraved. This is the way to show gratitude to the nation.
The concluding seventh day was with a message to give back to society. Students from SNF Center for special needs, Dubai and Manzil Center for special needs, Sharjah along with participating artists painted together to create a masterpiece. Art panel talk and masterclass by the legendary artists Mr. Ram Awasthi was like an icing on the cake at the Kashkan Restaurant by celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar. “To be hosting the UAE Art and Cultural Festival along with Funun Arts Group is a humbling Tribute to this spirit of coming together as one and giving back to society in ways that actually matter. Kashkan is all about inclusion and represents the diversity of India and this initiative has additionally given us an opportunity to further strengthen our ties and relationship as countries”, adds Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar on the first CSR initiative to be hosted at Kashkan.
“I’m a firm believer of giving back to society, and nothing could mark a bigger celebration than being able to associate in bringing a smile to the students of determination this UAE National Day”, adds Deepti Chawla, Owner and Founder, Infiniti Holdings and Kashkan by Ranveer Brar.
Shiba Khan and Farah Khan, know as Khan’s Sister, founder of Funun Arts Groups said:” We established UAE-ACF to bring the community together to celebrate art, create opportunities for cultural exchange, and showcase the creative and artistic sectors of the emirate. UAE-ACF will serve as a bridge between cultural heritage and contemporary art, bringing together art lovers, history enthusiasts, and the rest of the community to engage with new forms of arts. UAE-ACF emphasizes democratizing art and making it accessible to everyone. By showcasing the work of artists from diverse backgrounds and countries, this festival will provide a platform for different perspectives and artistic expressions to be shared and appreciated. Including various art forms such as Fine Art & Photography, Sculpture, and Poetry allows for a rich and multidimensional artistic experience. Each medium has its own unique way of conveying ideas and emotions, providing a diverse range of artistic expressions for the audience to engage with. It is an initiative that art can truly fulfill its transformative potential, creating bridges between people and sparking conversations that challenge preconceptions and broaden horizons.
By continuing to grow and expand the art festival, Funun Arts Group is playing an important role in creating a more inclusive and interconnected world through art.