The United Arab Emirates’ reputation as a sanctuary in the Middle East for international business is now facing a great challenge as it catches the splashback of the war between Iran, Israel and the United States.
With Iran targeting the UAE’s economic arteries, including the Dubai International Airport and the vital oil facility in Fujairah City, the collateral damage is now spreading to the Emirates’ cultural landscape. Some wonder if the situation will affect the regional arts industry.
Lebanese-Italian conductor and musicologist Toufic Maatouk is also the artistic programming adviser for the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF), which is responsible for the Abu Dhabi Festival (ADF), an annual art and classical music festival in the UAE. He does not seem to be too concerned.
