Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts, heritage, and literature, in partnership with Meraas, held the opening ceremony to mark the Dubai debut of international art exhibition titled ‘Streets of the World.’ Known as the world’s largest photo exhibition, Streets of the World will run from 21st January until 5th April 2019 at Al Seef, the bustling waterfront promenade by Meraas, before setting off on a world tour in cities like Paris, London, Berlin, and New York.

The ceremony was attended by HE Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General at Dubai Culture; HE Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber; HE Ali Bin Talith, Secretary General of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA); HE Hans Sandee, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dubai; Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director of Canon Middle East; and Samir Al Aref, General Manager of Philips Lighting Middle East.

Al Nabouda said: “Participating in such an important event is an honour in itself, but the privilege of having it debut in Dubai’s Al Seef, a vibrant historical and cultural landmark that has played an important role in the city’s contemporary renaissance, is a source of great pride for us.”

He added, “The exhibition is being held as part of ‘Dubai Art Season,’ a two-month (March and April) citywide showcase of flagship events that highlights the city’s position in the global arts scene and brings together creative talent from around the world for an unmatched celebration of talent, creativity, innovation, and cultural diversity. Streets of the World will host more than 200 nationalities, aligning with the vision of Dubai Culture and enhancing Dubai’s role as a multicultural society to spread values of art and inclusion.”

The opening ceremony featured a multitude of activities for VIPs, Excellencies, and members of the media from across the region and beyond, including a private exhibition tour, an opening address by Dutch photographer Jeroen Swolfs, speeches by HE Saeed Al Nabouda and HE Hamad Buamim, along with an awards ceremony where the winners of the ‘Soul of Dubai’ and the ‘Spirit of the Trade’ competitions were announced. The exhibition was inaugurated by Swolfs after which guests enjoyed a multitude of photographs on display around the 1.8-kilometre stretch.

Dubai Culture aims to enhance Dubai’s cultural scene and draw attention to the UAE’s rich heritage. The Authority’s mandate is to build bridges of constructive dialogue between different civilisations and cultures to enhance Dubai’s position as a creative and sustainable global city for culture, heritage, arts, and literature, with the aim to empower these sectors by developing creative and innovative projects and initiatives locally, regionally, and globally.