Dubai Culture, Hala collaborate to launch ‘Soul of Dubai'

Dubai Culture, in collaboration with e-hailing service ‘Hala’, announced the launch of 'Soul of Dubai - Cultural Experiences’, a storytelling project that seeks to highlight the emirate’s cultural and artistic landmarks among residents and visitors.

‘Soul of Dubai – Cultural Experiences’ will bring together the creative media community to shed light on Dubai’s rich culture and encourage residents and visitors to explore the city’s cultural attractions and authentic traditions. The first phase of the project will see ‘Hala’- a joint venture between the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai and Careem- promoting various unique cultural experiences in Dubai via different channels. Videos presented by Dubai Culture will be broadcast on smart screens inside ‘Hala’ taxis featuring engaging content about various experiences riders can explore in the emirate ranging across fashion, music, arts, food, heritage, literature and performing arts. The videos, to be screened throughout the passenger’s journey, will be narrated by creatives and influencers in various disciplines, who have experienced Dubai’s cultural and artistic elements.

The project reflects the city's rapid growth and portrays its cultural richness, unique identity and distinctive heritage. It also comes as part of the Authority's efforts to achieve its cultural vision of enhancing the emirate's position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, said,

“At Dubai Culture, we always seek to establish partnerships with public and private entities in Dubai in order to develop innovative projects and services that enhance the economy and quality of life in the emirate, in line with the National Innovation Strategy that aims to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global innovation hub. These projects also fall within the framework of Dubai Culture’s strategic roadmap 2020-2026, which seeks to enable participation and cement Dubai’s position on the global cultural scene. ‘Soul of Dubai - Cultural Experiences’, in cooperation with ‘Hala’, is one such project presenting a regional pioneering model in this field.”

Badri added that the project will contribute to supporting Dubai’s creative community by giving them the opportunity to create creative content that promotes Dubai's rich experiences via its unique destinations. The project also supports entrepreneurs in these destinations, in line with Dubai Culture's mission and the objectives of the #DubaiDestinations initiative. The #DubaiDestinations initiative was recently launched by Dubai Media Council to highlight the emirate’s unique experiences and activities.

Badri said,

“Soul of Dubai – Cultural Experiences’ project was developed based on studies about global travel market industry trends. The survey indicated that though 74% of travellers plan to go on holidays this year, they will be choosing their destinations carefully. Additionally, cultural experiences are at the forefront of preferred experiences at 58%, which is why we are investing in innovative platforms to celebrate our rich cultural and heritage treasures and ensure cultural experiences are accessible for everyone, everywhere. This will inspire UAE citizens and residents, as well as attract the largest number of visitors to the emirate, further promoting its cultural tourism and hospitality sector, while also benefiting the GDP. Job opportunities will also become available for tour guides, creators and influencers in the emirate who are participating in the project,”

“This project will provide an opportunity for all visitors, especially during Expo 2020 Dubai, to learn about Dubai's rich heritage and culture. We value the contributions of all partners and their roles in recounting their creative experiences and stories of the emirate, and we invite various groups of influencers, and even visitors, to participate in sharing cultural experiences about Dubai from their personal perspectives and to share them with the world.”

Basil Hovakeemian, CEO of ‘Hala’, said:

“We’re very proud to be joining forces with Dubai Culture to reinforce and promote the city’s artistic and cultural offering. Not only do we play a central role in connecting our city, but we also aim to contribute to the development of its cultural scene. Our collaboration with Dubai Culture aims to inspire our riders in Dubai to a closer look at the city’s true essence and its unseen hidden gems. We look forward to bringing our customers the many facets of Dubai’s rich cultural offerings through our partnership with Dubai Culture.”

Based on the results of the first phase, the content will be gradually disseminated across all of ‘Hala’s’ fleet of vehicles. The content and cultural options listed under the 'Discover' section on the smart screens will be regularly updated across the rides. The selected influencers for each segment will shed more light on locations to visit and explore across the emirate. Within the scope of the collaboration, the Authority will update ‘Hala’s’ social media followers with clues leading to rich cultural hidden gems in Dubai.

Meanwhile, the second phase of the project will feature a more dynamic personal approach, whereby ‘Hala’ will allow visitors to plan their own cultural experiences and design their itinerary by choosing the destinations they want to explore and the places they want to visit.

News Source: Dubai Media Office