Abu Dhabi Festival 2025 celebrates world-class artistic talent

Photo : Abu Dhabi Media Office

The Abu Dhabi Festival 2025 is being held with the support of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan. This event is organized by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and will take place at NYU Abu Dhabi from April 8 to April 29, 2025.

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This year, the festival is special because it honors Japan and celebrates 50 years of friendship between the UAE and Japan. The theme of the festival is “Abu Dhabi – A World of Harmony”, which matches the UAE’s Year of Community. The goal is to bring people together through music and art and show respect for different cultures.

The festival started on February 7, 2025, with important guests attending the opening, including Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi, UAE Minister of State, Huda Ibrahim Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of ADMAF and Abu Dhabi Festival, and Ken Okaniwa, Japan’s Ambassador to the UAE.

The opening event featured an Abu Dhabi Festival Award ceremony to honor two great Japanese figures. The award was given to Shunichi Tokura, Japan’s Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, and Riken Yamamoto, a famous architect and winner of the 2024 Pritzker Architecture Prize, for their contributions to art and culture. The night also included a performance by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, playing in the Arab world for the first time. The orchestra was led by conductor Yutaka Sado and featured tenor Jonathan Tetelman and pianist Kyohei Sorita.

Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi spoke about the festival’s theme, saying that “Abu Dhabi – A World of Harmony” represents the UAE’s diverse society, where people from over 200 countries live together with values of respect, unity, and peace. She added that the festival helps strengthen the connection between generations, families, and communities.

Huda Al Khamis-Kanoo, the festival’s founder, talked about the long friendship between the UAE and Japan. She shared how the festival connects people through music and culture. She was proud that 10 young musicians from the Abu Dhabi Youth Orchestra played alongside the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, giving them a chance to learn from top musicians.

The opening concert featured beautiful music from famous composers like Puccini, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Dvořák, and Akutagawa. Many people enjoyed the wonderful performances. The festival also planned educational programs, where students got to see the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra’s rehearsal, meet the musicians, and visit the Japanese School Abu Dhabi with Maestro Yutaka Sado and Kyohei Sorita.

As part of the festival, architect Riken Yamamoto, who won an Abu Dhabi Festival Award, gave a special talk at Riwaq Al Fikr – ADMAF Talks. This session was in partnership with NYU Abu Dhabi Institute, where students and young architects learned from his knowledge and experience.

The Abu Dhabi Festival 2025 continues to be a major event for music, art, and cultural exchange. By celebrating Japan’s traditions and creativity, the festival helps build stronger friendships between nations and makes the UAE a global center for arts and culture.

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