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In Dubai, everybody wants everyone to succeed, says Sheikha Latifa
At the World Economic Forum, she highlights that the leadership is very strict when it comes to delivering promises
- PUBLISHED: Wed 21 Jan 2026, 11:15 AM
- By:
- Waheed Abbas
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Dubai’s one connecting theme is that everybody wants everyone to succeed because the success of one person has a ripple effect across the board, said Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum late on Tuesday, she said Dubai is a very forward-thinking, innovative, and progressive city, but at the same time, the UAE people are very rooted in their culture and traditions.
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“We live our traditions on a daily basis in the way, in what we wear, the way we interact with people, we uphold the value of hospitality, respect, and good moral conduct. That has a ripple effect throughout society and with all these different cultures and all these different stories that you know, play about and come about in Dubai,” Sheikha Latifa said during the high-profile global event taking place at Davos, Switzerland.
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A home to 195 different cultures and backgrounds, she said, all of them practice their culture and religion, speak their own languages, and still they live in a very cohesive society that is open to them.
‘Celebrate differences’
The Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority stressed that Dubai succeeded due to its openness and understanding each other.
“We believe in openness… We shouldn't only connect with our similarities but also celebrate our differences. If you live in a world where everybody looked the same, spoke the same, and operated the same way, that's a very boring world to be in. The beauty of our world is in our differences. That's something that we need to celebrate,” she added.
Stressing the value of respect, she pointed out that it's not only important to respect people from one's own culture, but also other cultures that coexist with others.
Sheikha Latifa highlighted that the leadership in Dubai is very strict when it comes to delivering promises.
“The leadership in Dubai keeps us on our toes to deliver on our promises. Every time we launch a strategy or talk about an initiative, we hold to that promise, and we have to deliver it. Anything that we do in Dubai has to be in accordance with our stakeholders. When any strategy or initiative is launched, we first speak to the stakeholders that we are serving. We listen to their challenges and solutions, see the gaps in the industry, and work together as a team,” she said.
