Abu Dhabi's Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries to Focus on AI, Gaming, and Investment

The value of Arabic intellectual property, the development of Arabic-language AI tools, and new financing methods for the region's creative industries are set to take center stage at the upcoming Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries in Abu Dhabi. Now in its fifth year, the free event will be held at Manarat Al Saadiyat, bringing together policymakers, authors, technologists, content creators, and investors for a packed day of keynotes, panel discussions, and masterclasses. Egyptian singer-songwriter Hamza Namira is scheduled to perform in the evening following a dedicated session about his artistic craft.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre under the theme 'Arabic as Infrastructure Identity, Knowledge & Economic Power in the Digital Age', the congress aims to examine how Arabic creative industries can expand both regionally and internationally. Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak has previously highlighted the significance of these discussions for the sector's growth.

Panel sessions will cover diverse subjects, including the commercial value of Arabic creative work—ranging from book rights and transmedia franchises to game localisation and licensing agreements. Anne-Claire Legendre, president of Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, will participate in her first official speaking engagement in the region since her appointment, joining the opening session titled 'Arabic Language and Identity in a Changing World' to discuss how the language and its culture can adapt to emerging digital technologies.

Financial challenges will also be addressed during the 'Financing Arabic Creative Industries' session, which features Anghami co-founder Eddy Maroun, Global Ventures founder and managing partner Noor Sweid, and Egyptian screenwriter and producer Mohamed Hefzy. Additionally, the session 'How Gamification Can Bring Language, Learning and Culture to Life' will explore how games and interactive learning can boost Arabic-language acquisition, cultural identity, and community engagement.

Historian and author Roy Casagranda will deliver a keynote titled 'Arabic and Europe: A Story of Encounter', tracing centuries of exchange between the Arabic and Latin worlds, including linguistic influences on Spanish and Italian and the historical movement of knowledge across the Mediterranean.

The masterclass lineup includes 'Writing Arabic Comedy for Digital' led by Egyptian actor, writer, and producer Ahmed Amin, and 'Creating Story Worlds' led by American novelist and scriptwriter Todd Gallicano, focusing on building expansive plots with recurring characters across platforms. Other technical sessions, such as 'Human Stories, Smart Tools: A Mobile Journalism Masterclass', 'Dubbing in the Age of AI', and 'How to Create a Global IP', will explore the integration of artificial intelligence in research, translation, dubbing workflows, and international market development.

Launched in 2022, the congress has broadened its scope beyond publishing to encompass the wider creative industries. The event will take place on September 20 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi.