• The new centre represents the educational arm of Al Shindagha Museum and an innovative platform to disseminate the secrets of heritage across generations.
• The official launch of the centre was accompanied by a rich programme of training courses and crafts workshops.

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) officially inaugurated ‘Turath Centre for Traditional Handicrafts’ as the educational arm of Al Shindagha Museum, Dubai’s largest heritage museum, in the heart of Al Shindagha Historical Neighbourhood that reflects Dubai’s past and presents a glimpse into its future.

The new centre is now open to the public, presenting an innovative cultural platform to celebrate and preserve authentic Emirati heritage and highlight its precious values. It will also host a diverse programme of crafts courses and heritage workshops aimed at spreading the culture of traditional handicrafts among community members. The centre ensures the sustainability of heritage industries as diversified sources of the national economy while also supporting cultural tourism and investing in celebrating the country’s culture and heritage globally.

Additionally, the Turath Centre for Traditional Handicrafts is offering a number of crafts courses to help disseminate three authentic traditional Emirati crafts across generations, providing them with expertise and knowledge of heritage products: the Talli craft, Al Khoos weaving and Burqa sewing. The centre will also organise periodic handicraft workshops for visitors of all age groups covering the same three crafts, in addition to silversmithing, Dukhoon-making, and clothes sewing.

Commenting on the importance of this project, Fatma Lootah, Director of the Cultural and Heritage Programmes Department at Dubai Culture, emphasised that the centre represents an open space for education to raise awareness among all community members about tangible and intangible Emirati heritage. The project will contribute to preserving national identity, promoting belonging, and investing in the youth, leading to comprehensive community development.

Lootah said: “The centre is a reflection of our cultural mission, which is at the heart of our projects and programmes to highlight our traditions, heritage and culture. The centre will provide the appropriate environment to discover, encourage and develop talents, and we look forward to active community participation towards empowering the younger generations who wish to get acquainted with our culture and learn of our civilisation that was woven by our ancestors.”

The centre embodies Dubai’s vision and mission for culture, as it represents an active and creative element in the comprehensive development process that the country is witnessing.