Arabic Language Congress Charts Cultural Infrastructure Strategy for 2026

Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi will host the fifth Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries on 20 September 2026, with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) organising the event around a single operational premise: that Arabic functions as infrastructure for cultural and economic development in an age of rapid technological change.

The ALC, which operates under the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has built the programme around the theme Arabic as Infrastructure: Identity, Knowledge, and Economic Power in the Digital Age. Speakers, participants and institutions drawn from universities, publishing houses, cultural bodies and digital platforms will convene to address Arabic language technologies, intellectual property ecosystems and creative opportunity across the Arab world and beyond.

The speaker roster reflects the breadth of that delivery agenda. Anne-Claire Legendre, President of the Institut du Monde Arabe, will examine Arabic as a living creative force shaped by multilingual identities and emerging creators. Natasha Hemingway, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Shahid, will explore the relationship between Arabic content, digital platforms and the creative economy. Historian Roy Casagranda will deliver a specially commissioned talk tracing centuries of exchange between Arabic and the Latin world, demonstrating how Arabic shaped Spanish, Italian and broader European knowledge and culture. The programme also includes panel discussions, training sessions and workshops designed to connect expertise and opportunities across the sector.

His Excellency Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, framed the gathering in explicitly infrastructural terms. “Language is not merely a means of communication; it is the infrastructure through which societies preserve their identity, generate knowledge and shape their future,” he said. “Throughout history, Arabic has served as a civilisational foundation for intellectual exchange, creativity and innovation, and today it continues to hold the capacity to contribute meaningfully to knowledge economies and technological advancement.”

Meanwhile, DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak pointed to the institutional systems already in place. “Our next phase is to strengthen the systems that translate creativity into lasting cultural and economic value: from the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, which builds the knowledge, content and market infrastructure for Arabic, to institutions like Dar Al Funoon which enables home-grown artistic productions to be developed, owned and shared with global audiences,” he said. “Arabic is not only part of our identity but central to the creative economy Abu Dhabi is building.”

The Congress responds directly to the accelerating pace of artificial intelligence and digital innovation by positioning Arabic as an enabling force rather than a passive subject of technological change. The event will serve as a platform for launching new initiatives, building strategic partnerships and connecting creators with leading organisations across culture, technology and academia.

Congress X Youth operates as a dedicated programme component, offering emerging creatives practical skills development, direct engagement with industry leaders and structured pathways to develop ideas into projects. The initiative closes with the Youth Innovation Awards, recognising outstanding concepts that advance Arabic across the cultural and creative industries.

Whether the partnerships and initiatives announced in September translate into durable market infrastructure, or remain aspirational frameworks, will be the measure by which this fifth Congress is ultimately judged. Participants can register at CongressACI.com.