The UAE’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Yousuf Alotaiba, welcomed the ADMAF Founder to the beautiful UAE Embassy in Washington, DC, in a meeting to discuss Art and Culture, and its importance to all peace-loving people around the world. Discussions centered on making sure every available effort is being made to ensure UAE artists and culture can be shared with all.
On November 2, 2018, ADMAF founder, H.E. Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo, attended the Reina Sofia School of Music for the celebration of the 80th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sofia, which took place in Madrid. The Reina Sofia School of Music is a strategic partner of ADMAF and the Abu Dhabi Festival on cross-cultural collaborations. The celebration consisted of a concert by Freixenet Symphony Orchestra of The Reina Sofia School of Music, conducted by Placido Domingo with Raquel de Benito and Samuel Palomino on the viola, and Hayk Sukiasyan on the cello. The repertoire included Bach’s Symphony No. 6 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
H.E. Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of ADMAF, and H.E. Mattar bin Lahej, Executive Manager of the Al Jalila Centre for Children signed a Letter of Cooperation on October 17, 2018, with both parties agreeing to coordinate their efforts in supporting various education programmes and initiatives that help local communities of students and parents.
Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children offers a safe, joyous and creative environment that welcomes children from 4 to 16 from different nationalities, and was established in 2014 under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, while Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein chairs its Board of Trustees. It is a non-profit centre, founded on the belief that culture is essential to understand both ourselves and the world in which we live today. The overall aim is to enrich the cultural lives of children, to create awareness of their surroundings, and to embrace their creativity and future aspirations, to prepare them to welcome their future.
International strategic partnerships are central to the Foundation’s work in cross-cultural diplomacy and a number of these long-term relationships are with US cultural leaders. During October 2018, H.E. Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo visited New York and met with some of the Foundation’s collaborators, discussing news and taking time to plan for future work together. During the trip, she met with Russell Granet, Acting President and CEO of the Lincoln Center, Alvaro Domingo, Vice President of Operalia, Sir Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall, renowned Emirati composer Mohammed Fairouz, Greg Scholl, Executive Director of Jazz at the Lincoln Centre, and Kara Medoff Barnett, Executive Director of American Ballet Theater.