Following the death of the UAE’s president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, a number of cultural events and shows, including the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Comedy Festival, have been postponed.
The Ministry of Presidential Affairs declared 40 days of mourning on Friday, with flags flying at half-mast from Friday and work in the public and private sectors suspended for the first three days, beginning Saturday.
Also read: UAE: IIFA Awards 2022 gets postponed to July following President’s demise
The Culture Summit Abu Dhabi was to be held on the island of Manarat Al-Saadiyat from May 16 to 18. The revised dates have not yet been announced by the Department of Culture and Tourism.
Shows including Vir Das, Jo Koy, The Comedy Bizarre, and The Laughter Factory at the Dubai Comedy Festival will be rescheduled till May 16, as per reports.
Break the Block, a new event celebrating street food and music that was set to take place at Dubai Design District on Friday and Saturday, has been “postponed until further notice.”
A concert by South African DJ Black Coffee, slated for Friday at White Dubai, has also been cancelled.
The Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai’s modern art centre, has announced that it would be closed until Tuesday.
Taking it to Instagram, the centre said, “With heavy hearts, we mourn the passing of the country’s President. His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. May his soul rest in peace.”
Also Kuwait, along with numerous other countries, has declared three days of mourning. Egyptian artist Mohamed Hamaki postponed his concert in Kuwait, which was slated for May 13, in honour of the late president.
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