National Day performances at NYUAD honour UAE diversity

Nearly 90 per cent of the UAE’s population is made up of residents representing more than 200 nationalities across the country and ahead of Eid Al Etihad (National Day), the arts department at New York University Abu Dhabi celebrated this rich multiculturalism.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Hekayah, an annual programme at NYUAD highlighting the diversity of the UAE. It features performances – from poetry readings, to dance and songs – by artists from across the globe.

Bill Bragin, executive director of The Arts Centre at NYUAD and the founder of Hekayah, told The National the multistep process of selecting artists brings out various local talent.

“When I got [to the UAE] 10 years ago, I didn’t know any local artists,” Bragin said. “We created this collaborative curation approach so that I could bring in people who were connected to the grassroots artistic community.”

The programme featured a vibrant array of performances, with music, dance and poetry, from India and Nigeria to the Palestinian territories and the US.

Audience members were sitting on traditional rugs and embroidered cushions as they enjoyed the show held in the university's packed black-box theatre.

“The diversity of this country is so accurately reflected on the stage,” Jiire Smith, a Nigerian singer-songwriter and NYUAD student, told The National. “To be part of that reflection of diversity and the growth of this country, I feel, is a beautiful thing.”