Arabic Language Congress Targets Digital Economy Gap in Abu Dhabi
Fifth annual gathering examines funding, technology integration and commercial pathways for Arabic creative work.
Abu Dhabi’s Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries returns for its fifth year on September 20, convening at Manarat Al Saadiyat under a theme that frames the Arabic language itself as infrastructure: Identity, Knowledge and Economic Power in the Digital Age.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, the single-day event brings together policymakers, authors, technologists, content creators and investors for keynotes, panel discussions and masterclasses. Registration is free. The full speaker and session lineup has not yet been released.
Additional reference context is available at https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/books/2026/08/18/abu-dhabis-congress-of-arabic-and-creative-industries-to-explore-ai-gaming-and-the-creative-economy/.
The congress will address a central challenge facing Arabic creative work: how to build sustainable commercial pathways while preserving cultural authenticity in a rapidly digitising landscape. One session will examine the commercial value of Arabic creative output directly, covering book rights, transmedia franchises, game localisation and licensing agreements. These topics reflect the growing recognition that intellectual property strategy is foundational to economic growth in the creative sector.
Parallel sessions will explore how Arabic language and culture can integrate with emerging digital technologies, a question that extends beyond adaptation to encompass competitive advantage. The congress will also examine investment gaps in the creative economy across the Middle East and North Africa, a persistent structural challenge that limits the region’s ability to scale projects and retain talent. Another session will investigate how games and interactive learning platforms can simultaneously serve as tools for Arabic-language acquisition, cultural identity reinforcement and community engagement.
The scope of the event has expanded considerably since its launch in 2022, when publishing was the primary focus. It now encompasses the full spectrum of creative industries. Last year’s iteration featured speakers including Jordanian director Tima Shomali, Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki, Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer and Tunisian-Egyptian actress Hend Sabry. Those discussions ranged across Arabic storytelling in film, theatre and literature, demonstrating the breadth of creative sectors now included in the congress’s remit.
By contrast, this year’s edition places artificial intelligence and gaming at the centre of the agenda. That shift reflects both the rapid global move toward these sectors and the specific opportunity they present for Arabic-language content development. The inclusion of financing models as a dedicated topic signals that the gap between creative ambition and operational funding remains a live concern for the region’s producers and project owners.
The congress operates as a platform for identifying implementation gaps and building consensus among stakeholders responsible for growing the region’s creative infrastructure. Whether a single day of discussion translates into concrete commitments, from licensing deals to investment pledges, is the question that will follow participants out of Manarat Al Saadiyat when the event closes.
Q&A
What is the primary theme of the 2026 Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries?
Identity, Knowledge and Economic Power in the Digital Age, framing the Arabic language itself as infrastructure.
What specific commercial topics will the congress address?
Book rights, transmedia franchises, game localisation and licensing agreements, with emphasis on intellectual property strategy as foundational to creative sector economic growth.
How has the congress's scope changed since its launch in 2022?
It has expanded from a primary focus on publishing to encompass the full spectrum of creative industries, including film, theatre, literature, gaming and interactive learning platforms.
What structural challenge does the congress identify as limiting the region's creative economy?
Investment gaps across the Middle East and North Africa that restrict the region's ability to scale projects and retain talent in the creative sector.