Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, will lead a high-level gathering at the second edition of the UAE Loves Iraq festival scheduled for Saturday at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, according to the Emirates News Agency. The event will also feature the participation of Samer Salman Abd, the acting Consul General of Iraq in Dubai and the northern emirates, alongside diplomats, economic figures and a large turnout from the Iraqi community in the UAE. Organisers have prepared a programme of artistic, cultural and entertainment segments to celebrate Iraq’s rich heritage while reinforcing bonds of coexistence.
The festival extends the success of its first edition in October 2025, which the Emirates News Agency said attracted more than 15,000 attendees, predominantly from the Iraqi community resident in the UAE. That inaugural celebration at the same venue included traditional music, folk dances, art exhibitions and a dedicated space for Iraqi cuisine, allowing visitors from all backgrounds to engage with Iraq’s history and traditions. Saturday’s edition will similarly showcase these elements while adding performances by artists including Rahma Riad, Mahmoud Al Turki and content creators such as Louay Sahi, Mina Al Sheikhly and Zainab Al Aqabi, the news agency reported.
A WAM assessment found that the initiative reflects the UAE’s approach to honouring expatriate communities and promoting cross-cultural understanding as a foundation for tolerance and mutual respect. The Iraqi community, which considers the UAE a second home, has contributed significantly to the country’s development across multiple sectors, according to statements from officials involved in prior editions. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak is expected to deliver remarks underscoring the shared language, culture and destiny that bind the two nations.
Bilateral economic ties have expanded markedly in recent years, with the Emirates News Agency noting that the UAE ranks among Iraq’s top trading partners. In the first half of 2024, UAE non-oil exports to Iraq nearly quadrupled year-on-year with a 41 percent increase, turning Iraq into the leading destination for such exports, a WAM compilation of trade data showed. The May 2023 UAE-Iraq Business Forum in Dubai, which drew more than 170 companies and generated over 250 bilateral meetings, illustrated the momentum in investment and commercial cooperation that cultural events like this festival aim to complement.
The social platform organising the festival has positioned the event as an annual platform for the Iraqi community to reconnect with its roots while sharing its contributions with the wider UAE society. Last year’s edition included the honouring of prominent Iraqi figures in fields ranging from scholarship and science to poetry, media and sports, with awards presented by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak himself. Similar recognitions may feature in the upcoming programme, although specific names for this year have not yet been announced by the organisers.
Expo City Dubai’s facilities will support family-friendly access, with the Roads and Transport Authority having provided free shuttle buses and ample parking during the 2025 event to ease attendance. Saturday’s festival is open to all residents and citizens, continuing the UAE’s model of inclusive cultural diplomacy that has strengthened people-to-people ties across the region. The gathering coincides with ongoing high-level exchanges between the two countries that officials say demonstrate a commitment to shared progress and stability.
