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Watch: Sheikh Mohammed gives 'big surprise' to residents, visits Quoz Arts Fest
Interdisciplinary think tank Fiker Institute was one of the places the Dubai Ruler visited
- PUBLISHED: Sat 24 Jan 2026, 3:46 PM UPDATED: Sat 24 Jan 2026, 6:50 PM
- By:
- Nasreen Abdulla
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Attendees of the Quoz Arts Festival (QAF) were pleasantly surprised when they got a glimpse of a special guest on Saturday morning.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai paid an unannounced visit to the festival which began at Al Serkal Avenue on Saturday. During his visit, he dropped into several establishments and interacted with children there.
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Wearing a golden colour kandoora, matching gutra and carrying a kheyzrana (cane), Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by some officials as he toured the facility at around 11am on Saturday.
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“I had just gone to the festival to help as part of the event management,” said Dubai resident Afzal Dingankar, who captured the visit in a few videos. “It was not at all crowded as people were just beginning to come to the festival.”
Another attendee, Hussain Lokhandwala, whose company Giochi di Luce was organising an event there and they had no idea that there was going to be a VIP visit. “We received no intimation that anyone important was coming, much less Sheikh Mohammed,” he said. “We were just going about doing our jobs when we saw a couple of people gathering. We just went there out of curiosity and there he was. It was such a big surprise.”
According to Afzal, Sheikh Mohammed also interacted with children. In a video he shared, he can be seen chatting with a young boy before patting his head. He also waved at some others who stood on the sides. Watch below:
Interdisciplinary think tank Fiker Institute was one of the places Sheikh Mohammed visited. Its founder, Dubai Abulhoul, shared an Instagram post with photos of her welcoming the Ruler into the premises of the research institute, calling it an “honour”.
The two-day QAF is an annual event that brings together emerging artists and experimental formats to amplify stories from the region. With pop ups, live performances and food trucks, the ticketed event brings together art lovers in the city.
Last week another Dubai resident shared about the “unforgettable moment” when her daughter got the opportunity to give a high-five to Sheikh Mohammed at The Square in Nad Al Sheba.
