ABU DHABI- In recognition of the UAE’s 48th National Day and the Year of Tolerance, the Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi, NYUAD, announced the line-up of its fifth annual edition of Hekayah-The Story, which will showcase 10 UAE-based international poets, singers, and musicians who will come together to honour the values of diversity, inclusion, and tolerance through an evening of performances.

Presented under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, Hekayah-The Story will take place on Tuesday, 26th November, 2019, at the East Plaza at the NYUAD.

"The Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development is pleased to offer its patronage to Hekayah-The Story, which brings together poets, musicians, storytellers, and creative individuals to celebrate the spirit of the union, on the occasion of UAE’s National Day," said Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development. The line-up of performers has been selected through a collaborative curatorial process by key players in the cultural, poetry, arts, and writing communities across the UAE, including Bill Bragin, Deborah Williams, Deepak Unnikrishnan, Dorian Paul Rodgers, Mohamed Alhashimi, and Aathma Nirmala Dious. Commenting on the event, Executive Artistic Director of the Arts Center at NYUAD, Bill Bragin, said, "One of the pleasures of the collaborative curatorial approach is that it helps us to assemble a line-up of artists who reflect diverse tastes and backgrounds.

The line-up assembled this year is especially exciting, it includes two of the most acclaimed rising Emirati pop-rock artists, and a number of NYUAD associated talents, including students, an alumnus, a professor and a staff member. "We are especially honoured that the event will spotlight Emirati al Malid, a rich tradition which the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development first brought to our stage at last year’s Al Burda Festival. We are deeply grateful to Noura Al Kaabi for their support." The evening will be hosted by Salem Al Attas, an acclaimed Emirati spoken word artist, and Rooftop Rhythms’, the inaugural poetry slam champion.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2019.