News DeskAbu Dhabi, UAE – Abu Dhabi’s Abrahamic Family House today celebrated its second anniversary with a global summit that embodies its foundational values of dialogue, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence.
In Dialogue – Voices of Tomorrow, Stories of Now featured dynamic conversations between leading thinkers and voices, including diplomats, cultural leaders, creatives, and policymakers. Speakers shared their diverse experiences, insights, and strategies for cultivating a culture of dialogue and collaboration with an audience of over 150 guests.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the Abrahamic Family House, commented in his opening remarks: “In a world that is profoundly connected and yet increasingly polarised, dialogue is more than an idea or an aspiration; it is a critical component of the cooperation and collaboration required to tackle the greatest challenges of our time. The In Dialogue Summit amplifies the power of dialogue in action, with the goal of finding new ways to build trust across diverse communities, discover our common humanity and shared values, and generate positive and lasting change.”
In Dialogue – Voices of Tomorrow, Stories of Now Summit
Keynote speaker Imam Adam Kelwick, a faith leader and advocate for interfaith dialogue, discussed his experiences in diffusing community tensions during the August 2024 UK riots.
In the panel The Art of Diplomacy in Dialogue, Nikolay Mladenov, Director General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, and Dr. Mariët Westermann, CEO and Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum, explored the role of meaningful dialogue in diplomacy and how empathy can build consensus and collaboration.
Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi; Bill Bragin, Executive Artistic Director of The Arts Centre at New York University Abu Dhabi; and curator Alia Zaal Lootah, discussed the vital importance of exchange and encounter in inspiring creativity in the cultural sectors.
Maqsoud Kruse, Chair, National Human Rights Institution, and Mohamed Al Hammadi, Director-General of the Emirates News Agency, WAM, reflected on efforts to foster peaceful coexistence, promote cross-cultural dialogue, and catalyse progress.
Composer Ihab Darwish, Lateefah bin Hamoodah, creative director and art consultant, and photojournalist Hussain Al Moosawi, highlighted the importance of creative storytelling and shared their experiences of bringing to life the Abrahamic Family House’s vision and values through music, photography and the arts.
During the event, the Abrahamic Family House unveiled an exhibition of commissioned artworks by Emirati artists, curated by Lateefa bin Hamoodah, inspired by dialogue and coexistence.
Partnership agreements
In parallel with the Summit, the Abrahamic Family House affirmed significant partnerships with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy.
The agreement will see the Abrahamic Family House and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy collaborate on initiatives aimed at promoting interfaith dialogue, cultural exchange, and education. At the core of this partnership is the Abrahamic Family House Fellowship Program, a prestigious initiative that will support one preeminent scholar per year in contributing to dialogue and research in interfaith studies, diplomacy, and cultural engagement.
Abrahamic Family House second anniversary
The month of February marks second anniversary of the Abrahamic Family House’s inauguration in 2023. To date, the centre for learning and dialogue has welcomed 600,000 worshippers and visitors and hosted hundreds of community events, talks, and workshops.
Throughout its anniversary month, the Abrahamic Family House offers a diverse calendar of events and celebrations, including a Global Tolerance and Human Fraternity Conference organised by the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence and the Muslim Council of Elders, and the second edition of the Quran recital competition at the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque, in collaboration with the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments & Zakat.
This programming reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to promoting dialogue and peaceful coexistence, and embodies the values enshrined in the Document on Human Fraternity and marked each year on the International Day of Human Fraternity, on February 4.
