By Amit Kakkar, Managing Editor, EmiratesReporter.com
Dubai, UAE- At a press conference held on November 12, 2026, ahead of the upcoming summit, representatives from the Majra – National CSR Fund and the cultural sector highlighted the importance of creating greater opportunities and support for People of Determination within the UAE’s creative and cultural landscape.
The discussion focused also on strengthening inclusion through government initiatives, private-sector participation and cultural philanthropy. Sarah Shaw, CEO of Majra emphasised the need for businesses to play a greater role in creating employment opportunities and accessible services, while H.E. Shatha Al Mulla, Assistant Undersecretary of National Identity and Arts sector, Ministry of Culture highlighted the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to develop a sustainable ecosystem of support through financial grants, voluntary contributions, professional expertise and other forms of giving.
Both speakers underlined the importance of ensuring that People of Determination have equal opportunities to participate, contribute and thrive in the wider creative community.
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Sarah Shaw, CEO of Majra said that supporting People of Determination was important to her because she believed there were significant opportunities for the private sector to contribute more towards their inclusion and empowerment.
She highlighted the importance of working closely with organizations such as Inclusion and Key to Enable, which provide valuable support and services. This includes identifying subsidies to help families meet the cost of specialized services, as well as creating employment opportunities for People of Determination.
She also hinted at an announcement during the summit that would be directly linked to this area, encouraging attendees to participate and learn more.
“Whenever any section of society needs support, the first line of support is always the government. In my opinion, the government has done exceptionally well for People of Determination,” she said.
Referring to the government’s response during a crisis, she noted that authorities in Dubai had reached out to every People of Determination individual as part of an effort to check on their well-being and ensure they received the necessary support.
However, she stressed that the private sector also had a greater responsibility to play in creating an inclusive society. This could include providing employment opportunities, ensuring that products and services are accessible to People of Determination, and creating an environment where they can participate fully in everyday life.
She also invited participants to explore how People of Determination could be better represented and included within the cultural and arts sectors.
H.E. Shatha Al Mulla, Assistant Undersecretary of National Identity and Arts sector, Ministry of Culture and explained that the Ministry of Culture was committed to supporting the wider creative community, including People of Determination working in the cultural and creative sectors.
She said the Ministry already had several initiatives designed to support musicians, artists and other creative professionals through enabling programmes, including financial grants and other forms of assistance.
However, she emphasised that the Ministry’s proposed Cultural Philanthropy and Giving Policy aimed to take this support further by building a sustainable ecosystem that would encourage individuals, institutions and private-sector organisations to contribute more actively to the creative community.
She explained that support did not always have to be financial. It could also come in the form of in-kind contributions, volunteering time, sharing professional expertise or providing specialised services to creative professionals.
She noted that many companies operating within the cultural and creative ecosystem had valuable knowledge and expertise that could benefit artists and other members of the creative community. The objective was to create opportunities for these companies to share their capabilities and contribute to the sector’s growth.
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