UAE diplomacy in spotlight as new space opens in Dubai

The Diplomacy Lab will offer a place for people to meet and learn more about the many ways the Emirates interacts with other countries

(L-R) Nickolay Mladenov, director general of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, Farshied Jabarkhyl, managing director of Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative and Saeed Al Nazari, director general of the Federal Youth Authority at the opening of the Diplomacy Lab in Emirates Towers Boulevard, Dubai. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

Some old photos are on display at the Diplomacy Lab.

Guests at the Diplomacy Lab. It will be a place for people to meet and learn more about the many ways in which the UAE interacts with other countries.

On display are intricate jewellery pieces designed by artists at The Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative. The jewellery pieces pay tribute to the Emirates Mars Mission.

Guests at the Diplomacy Lab.

Farshied Jabarkhyl speaks at the opening ceremony.

The lab will feature exhibitions, workshops and talks for the general public.

Archive photos on display.

Nickolay Mladenov speaks to guests.

The lab, which features pictures of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, will place special focus on programming, hosting regular workshops and talks for diplomats and members of the public.

The long-term aim is to create a centre in Dubai where Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy can recruit future diplomats and better engage with consulates.

A new space has opened in Dubai to showcase the UAE’s approach in diplomacy.

The Diplomacy Lab, located in Emirates Towers Boulevard, will be a place for people to meet and learn more about the many ways the UAE interacts with other countries.

It will feature exhibitions, workshops and talks for the general public, as well as appearances by both current and future diplomats.

The centre, a joint initiative between The Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI) and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) will be a permanent fixture, said Farshied Jabarkhyl, who leads the project.

Mr Jabarkhyl, who is also managing director of FBMI, said: “The aim is to create an open space, where AGDA will be having some regular content and exhibitions on diplomacy. FBMI’s involvement would be to explain how it fits in the local diplomacy framework.

“We work on a lot of different cultural diplomacy projects with the UAE."

The lab, which features pictures of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, will place a special focus on programming, hosting regular workshops and talks for diplomats and members of the public.

It also includes an area for people to mingle and enjoy a coffee together.

“Eventually we hope the space will be a meeting point for people within the towers and people related to diplomacy and foreign service. We would engage all foreign service and consulates as well," Mr Jabarkhyl said.

“The long-term aim of the space is to create this little hub of AGDA in Dubai where we could recruit future diplomats and also engage with consulates better.

“We will be inviting a lot of ambassadors from abroad to talk here.

“It will be a space where we are trying to get the community engaged and people involved in diplomacy.”

The launch of the centre comes as UAE diplomacy is placed under international focus, after the country took over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, assuming formal responsibility for the body's schedule for the month of March.

“The UAE’s approach is very different with the new values of tolerance and this new key soft power, soft diplomacy we are trying to show out there,” Mr Jabarkhyl said.

“It’s a really interesting topic.”