The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, has announced the third edition of the Arabian Days Festival, taking place from 13 to 15 December 2025 at Manarat Al Saadiyat. Arabian Days kicks off in 2025 under the theme ‘Arabic is the Vibe’, featuring an expanded programme that celebrates Arabic as a living cultural force that inspires creativity, imagination, and contemporary expression while remaining inclusive and culturally relevant. The festival aligns with UNESCO's global celebrations for World Arabic Language Day.
An immersive three-day celebration of the vibrancy and richness of the Arabic language in all its forms, Arabian Days is open to all. The festival welcomes both Arabic-speaking visitors as well as first time learners of the language with music, dialogue and celebration, showcasing immersive experiences, performances and contemporary art that bring the language to life. The festival is a public platform for emerging and established artists and performers whose work is shaped by the language today.
Previous editions featured and celebrated prominent Arab artists and personalities, including Dr. Roy Casagranda, Mona Zaki, Marwan Khoury, Aziz Maraka and Hamza Namira. This year’s festival will gather renowned authors, poets and scholars to appear alongside emerging Emirati and Arab creative minds through panel discussions, theatrical performances, music and poetry. Musical acts and immersive experiences are designed for audiences of all ages. Arabian Days invites audiences to discover Arabic as rhythm, expression and style. Alongside its various activities, the festival will also feature artists from diverse musical backgrounds, ranging from modern music to traditional Muwashahat, the classical Andalusian/Arabic vocal music. Featured performers include Fouad Abdelwahed, Rahma Riadh, Cairokee band, Rima Khcheich, Lena Chamamyan, Zena Emad and many more.
Notably, the festival will host a three-day storytelling bootcamp with CNN Arabic, offering young content creators practical skills in narrative building and digital media alongside its rich cultural programme, the festival also offers a professional programme, exemplified by its partnership with NYU Abu Dhabi for the joint conference “AI-Powered Innovation in World Language Education: A Pedagogical and Practical Approach.” This two-day professional event, complemented by hands-on workshops, will equip educators with strategies to harness AI in developing innovative Arabic language teaching materials.
HE Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, said: “The Arabian Days Festival, coinciding with UNESCO’s celebration of World Arabic Language Day, embodies the vision that language is not merely an archive of the past but a driving force for the future and a fundamental source of innovation. At every stage of the festival, a delicate balance is maintained between deep heritage and knowledge-based innovation, affirming that Arabic has the capacity to be a language of creativity, research, and technology.
He added: “The Arabian Days Festival is an open invitation to all members of society to forge a renewed relationship with their language, one founded on pride, awareness, and imagination, and on the understanding that Arabic possesses the tools necessary to be part of the major transformations shaping the world.”
From scent to screen, the 2025 edition transforms Manarat Al Saadiyat into a hub of multisensory discovery, The ‘Scent of Arabia’ journey allows visitors to explore the rich heritage of Arab perfumery discovering the origins of iconic scents and participating in workshops using traditional formulas.
Through a collaboration with the Creative Media Authority in Abu Dhabi, Arabic cinema will have a prominent presence this year with a selection of short films produced by graduates of Arab Film Studio, one of the initiatives offered by Creative Lab, the Authority’s talent development arm. These films are family-friendly and explore themes of identity, culture, and the dynamics of modern society. In addition, several speakers from Arab Film Studio will participate in panel discussions highlighting Arabic storytelling and cinema.
The festival’s places youth at its core, offering a dynamic platform that celebrates creativity, innovation, and cultural identity. Through activations led by young creators and collaborations with emerging local enterprises, the programme reinforces the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s commitment to empowering the next generation and promoting pride in the Arabic language, culture and heritage. This year’s edition also brings together notable cultural partners and longstanding community institutions, reflecting a shared mission to honour tradition while inspiring future audiences.
Recognised for its cultural, intellectual and societal impact, Arabian Days Festival has been honoured with the Mohammed bin Rashid Arabic Language Award in 2025, underscoring its role in advancing and reimagining the Arabic language.
