Israel and the United Arab Emirates are promoting an ambitious initiative to hold a huge peace festival for young people in the Abu Dhabi desert that will host about 40,000 young people from the countries participating in the Abraham Accords along with Jordan and Egypt and will be a direct meeting between the region's young people around different cultural fields. As part of the festival, which will last for about three days, there will be huge concerts, TED lectures, as well as artistic and culinary competitions.
As mentioned, the United Arab Emirates decided to adopt the initiative initially proposed by the Israeli ambassador in Abu Dhabi, Amir Hayek. In a meeting with the Minister of Culture and Youth of the United Arab Emirates, Noura Kaabi, and vice Minister Mubarak Nahi, the Minister proposed to Hayek to hold the festival in early winter 2023, in order to properly prepare for it.
Kaabi also suggested turning the festival into an annual event and holding it in other countries, as well as incorporating celebrities and social media influencers into its promotion, with the aim of attracting a young audience. The minister emphasized the importance of the project, saying: "If we succeed in this alone - we have done our part."
The #UAE and #Israel have ratified an economic agreement that will remove tariffs on almost 96% of goods@fredman_a breaks down how the deal strengthens trade between the two #AbrahamAccords nations#MiddleEastNow | @laura_i24 pic.twitter.com/Z9L90aZ4HU
ā i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 11, 2022
Nahi, for his part, suggested that the festival be held in the Liwa oasis, located in the south of the Emirates along the Saudi border and that it be held in tents; both for logistical reasons, and with the aim of creating an experience of an unmediated meeting between the young people, which would lead to significant human and cultural connections. The location indicates that there might be some participation from Saudi Arabia although nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
Minister Kaabi, who accompanied Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed on his visit to Israel last September, told Ambassador Hayek this was the first visit for most of the Foreign Minister's entourage. She emphasized the warm welcome the members of the delegation received, both from officials and mainly from Israeli citizens in random meetings on the streets of the city.
Pres. Herzog meets with UAE Pres. bin Zayed
ā Israel in Ireland (@IsraelinIreland) December 11, 2022
Herzog: The UAE is a major linchpin in the regional peace, and the Abraham Accords are a national consensus in Israel, for all parties and for all factions.https://t.co/XJ0t4NFCKV pic.twitter.com/3zG0iIY7m5
Kaabi went on to say that with the help of a cultural and human connection, "we can muffle the political noises, and instead of focusing on the past, we can build a common future." The minister elaborated on her experiences in Israel, quoting the country's late president Shimon Peres: "We choose peace."
UAE, Israel ratify Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreementhttps://t.co/eSpqUaGffD pic.twitter.com/ZeAGjJHVtS
ā daynewslatest (@daynewslatest) December 12, 2022
The Minister of Culture said that at the end of their visit to Israel, Bin Zayed instructed her to promote sending young Emirati people who are active on social media to visit Israel, in order to encourage other young people to do the same.
