Abu Dhabi Congress to Explore Arabic’s Digital-Age Cultural and Economic Role

Policymakers, investors, technology executives, academics and creators will gather in Abu Dhabi on September 20 for the Congress of Arabic & Creative Industries 2026. The one-day event at Manarat Al Saadiyat is organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

Under the theme “Arabic as Infrastructure: Identity, Knowledge & Economic Power in the Digital Age,” organizers will examine the systems, partnerships and investment needed to make Arabic stronger across the creative and digital economy. The focus is structural: how intellectual property, creative businesses, language technology, digital platforms and talent can turn Arabic into lasting cultural and economic infrastructure.

Arabic as Infrastructure: Identity, Knowledge & Economic Power in the Digital Age,

ALC Chairman Dr. Ali Bin Tamim said Arabic’s civilisational legacy should become knowledge, creativity and enterprises capable of reaching new audiences and markets. He added that the priority is to expand Arabic’s capacity to generate content, protect associated rights and create clear pathways for creators to invest in their ideas. Arabic, he said, should evolve from a means of cultural expression into an active force in shaping the future.

Egyptian actor, writer and producer Ahmed Amin will host the day. The first session, a Conscious Conversation titled “Arabic Language and Identity in a Changing World,” will feature Bin Tamim; Anne-Claire Legendre, president of the Arab World Institute in Paris; and Roberto Tottoli, rector of the University of Naples L’Orientale. They will consider how Arabic can remain an anchor of identity while becoming a stronger creative and economic asset.

Kinda Ibrahim, regional general manager of operations at TikTok in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Rana Idriss, CEO and general manager of Dar Al Adab; and Natasha-Matos Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at MBC Shahid, will take up Arabic content value and IP from the vantage points of digital platforms, publishing and distribution. The session will ask how Arabic content is valued, what shapes commissioning and acquisition decisions, and whether rights, licensing and cross-platform development can help creators generate more from their work.

A separate discussion will focus on policy and government in helping Arabic creative industries grow and compete internationally. Eleni Giokos, CNN International anchor and correspondent, moderates a conversation with Andy Pratt, UNESCO chair in global creative economy and professor emeritus of cultural economy, on funding, talent development, institutional support and the frameworks needed for sustainable growth.

Dr. Roy Casagranda, a historian, political science professor and content creator, will trace centuries of Arabic-European linguistic and intellectual exchange. His presentation will cover how Arabic carried knowledge, shaped thought and influenced culture across Spain, Italy and the wider continent.

Congress X Youth will offer masterclasses, workshops, live simulations and industry experiences for university students, emerging creators and young professionals. CNN Arabic and Image Nation Studios are among the organizations involved. American novelist and scriptwriter Todd Gallicano will lead “Creating Storyworlds,” a masterclass on expanding one story into a broader creative world and building intellectual property that can travel across platforms.

CNN Arabic’s practical programs include a global news simulation, where participants respond to developing stories under real-time reporting pressure, and a mobile journalism masterclass covering production skills and AI tools for journalists and storytellers.

The youth program will close with the Congress X Youth Innovation Awards, recognizing ideas that strengthen Arabic through technology, storytelling, publishing, design or other creative disciplines. Shortlisted finalists will present to a panel of industry leaders. The pilot Congress ACI Matchmaking Platform will also connect creators, investors, researchers and decision-makers during and after the event.

Hamza Namira, Egyptian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, will close the congress in conversation and with a live acoustic performance. He will talk about how Arabic poetry, dialects and musical traditions keep work locally rooted while helping it reach audiences across cultures.

Registration and the full program are available at CongressACI.com.